Let it Be
by gizmo8us
Summary: Kat and Patrick go on their first offical date as a couple, but things go very bad very quickly and they find themselves running for their lives
1. Chapter 1

Bianca Statford was a woman on a mission. She moved as quickly as possible through the crowded halls of the high school, hoping to catch her prey before he left for the day. She knew she had to hurry. He wasn't one for sticking around longer than was absolutely necessary and each passing moment increased the chance that she wouldn't find him like she wanted him, alone.

Her pretty blond hair flounced around her shoulders as she turned her head frantically looking both ways, perusing the crowd for a head of black curls that stood well above most of the other students. He was hard to miss.

She finally spotted him leaning casually against his locker talking to some girl disinterestedly. Bianca couldn't help but smile at the thought of what her older sister, Kat would have thought at finding him in such a position. It was almost worth waiting for her to show up just to see the tough guy try to talk his way out of that one. Bianca could almost see the scene play out in front of her. Kat would say she didn't care what or who Patrick Verona was talking to or trying to hook up with, but the anger would be unmistakable. Patrick would run after her, all the while pretending like it didn't matter to him whether Kat was mad or not. After all, Kat spent seventy percent of her time mad at Patrick for some reason or another. The only reason they actually did get along was that there was the rare thirty percent that she wasn't angry. For Kat, thirty percent was a lot of time to spend not angry at someone.

She glanced around and realized that if she was going to get him alone, she had to move quickly. If it came at the price of having to run the skank off he was chatting with, so be it. She couldn't live with Kat finding out that she had sought him out like this. It was exhausting trying to sleep with one eye opened, wondering all the time when the retaliation would come. Better if she didn't know a thing about it.

She walked over and gave the girl, some junior with platinum colored hair, a low cut shirt and slut practically written across her forehead, a withering glare. She was good at the withering glare. She had learned it from her sister. " I need to talk to you. I have something to discuss alone."

The girl stuck her lip out in a ridiculous pout at Patrick and he paid it no attention at all. " Will you call me ?" She asked, desperately. " You still have my number, right ?"

Patrick gave her a pained look. " Honestly, I don't know if I do or not. And I'm most likely not going to call. I'm kinda seeing someone."

" Of course you're seeing someone, silly." The girl giggled. " You're looking right at me."

Bianca tasted a bit of bile in the back of her throat at the pathetic creature's antics. " This is important, Patrick." She insisted trying to get rid of her.

" I'll tell you what, if something changes and I'm suddenly single again, I'll look you up." Patrick offered.

" Are you saying you aren't single anymore ?" The girl asked shocked.

" It's complicated, but I guess not, really." He shrugged.

The girl's entire face dropped and she suddenly wasn't near as pretty since she wasn't trying so hard. She walked away muttering loudly. " Patrick Verona isn't single anymore. How is that even possible ?"

He shook his head as he watched her go. Then turned to Bianca. " What's up ? Is something wrong with Kat ?"

Bianca eyed him for a moment, planting her hands on her hips and giving him a disappointed stare. " Do you know what kind of trouble you'd be in if Kat had found you just now instead of me ?"

He chuckled, " Wow, that just runs in your family, doesn't it ? I thought Kat was the only one that could do judgmental, disproving so well. And as for trouble, I stay in it, it's not a new thing for me. I can handle myself. But thanks for the out. She was starting to really annoy me."

" I'm not here to help you fend off the harpies. I need to talk to you and don't want Kat to see us."

He chuckled again. " Then you better disappear because here she comes."

" Call me tonight." Bianca told him quickly as she shoved a piece of paper with her cellphone number on it in his hand. " It's really important."

Patrick shoved the paper into the front pocket of his worn jeans and gave her a nod before she took off down the hall away from him.

" Was that Bianca ?" Kat asked as she came to her locker and opened it quickly.

" Yeah, she just wanted to know if we were hanging out today. She and Donner have some kind of plans I guess." He lied easily.

" Oh," Kat muttered as she threw a few books into the locker and retrieved a few more in their place. "What did you tell her ? Are we hanging out today ?"

Patrick lowered his eyes and looked up at her with that stare that he knew got to her every time whether she wanted to admit it or not. " I was about to ask you the same thing."

" That would explain why you are leaning against some stranger's locker, waiting for me." Kat nodded.

" Yes, it would." He agreed.

" I find you here quite often. Does the person that owns that locker mind that they can never get into it because you're always on it ?" She closed her own locker and locked it securely.

He shrugged disinterestedly. " I don't know. I've never bothered to ask."

Kat took off down the hall after slinging her backpack over her shoulder without waiting to see if he was planning on following or not.

Of course, he fell into step with her without missing a beat. It was their way. No need for extra words or gestures. Both of them were at their best when they seemed to not care if the other cared or not.

" So, am I getting an answer or is your lack of an answer all I need to know ?" He asked, wanting very badly to take the overloaded backpack from her shoulder to carry for her, but knowing better than to actually do it.

" No," She nodded. " We can hang out if you want." It was less of an answer than he normally got and he noted her tone wasn't as enthusiastic as usual either. Even her snappy retorts and cutting insults were missing and it caused him to take notice immediately.

" Is everything okay ? Have I done something once again that I'm completely unaware of that's totally pissed you off ?" He asked as they reached the double glass doors of the school and pushed through them.

" No. Why have you done something I haven't found out about yet ?" She glanced over at him.

" Not recently." He answered. " I missed you at lunch today."

It was her turn to shrug. " I worked right through. Trying to get the yearbook together. I can't believe I signed up for that crap. If it wasn't for the fact that it looks really good on my college application I would have quit a long time ago."

He laughed as he turned and leaned against her beat up old car. " No you wouldn't have. You don't quit. You might hate it, but you wouldn't have quit."

She huffed and tugged a wayward strand of long, dark hair back behind her ear. " I suppose you're right. Damn my sense of ethics and high moral standards."

He reached out and gently pulled her into him and was surprised that she let him without too much resistance. " I've been damning your high moral standards for months now." He whispered as he kissed her chastely.

He noticed the attractive blush that rose in her cheeks when he let her go.

" What are we going to do today ?"

" I have a history test tomorrow. You can help me study." She suggested.

" Oh, happy day !" He announced with dramatic flourish. " I'll meet you at your house."

She nodded as he got off her car and turned to leave. But he turned back and grabbed her quickly, pulling her into his arms and kissing her much less innocently. Her arms automatically went around his neck and one hand came up to play in his hair as she sank into him. God, he loved kissing her.

" I really did miss you at lunch today and we are going to talk about those morals again, soon." He whispered into her hair before letting her go and walking quickly away before she had a chance to protest.

" Are you ready yet ?" Bianca asked from the other side of the car where she had witnessed the entire incident.

" Just get in." Kat rolled her eyes at her before getting into the car herself.

" This has been going on for a while now, huh ?" Bianca asked once seat belts were secured and Kat was pulling out the parking lot.

" What ?"

" You and Patrick. It's kind of a thing now."

" It's not a thing. I don't have a thing." Kat protested.

" Is he coming over again today ?"

" He just told you he was. What are you and Joey doing this afternoon ?" She glanced at her sister as she pulled up to a red light.

" Joey has football practice tonight. I'm studying for a french test." Bianca answered offhandedly.

" I thought you were just asking Patrick if we had plans because you and Joey had plans." Kat asked, confused as her eyes shot to the rear-view mirror and she spied a motorcycle pulling up behind her, the driver's face safely hidden behind a dark helmet. She couldn't help but smile at that, knowing he was wearing the helmet for her sake, normally he would have left it off.

" Oh," Bianca cleared her throat. " No, I was just wondering if you had plans today. I was thinking about trying to talk you into taking me to the mall."

Kat's eyes snatched over to her sister. " What were you really talking to him about ?" She demanded quickly.

" That's what I wanted to know. I swear." Bianca insisted.

" You are the worst liar I've ever known, except possibly Dad. Now tell me the truth."

" That is the truth, Madam Paranoid. What else would I want to talk to your boyfriend about ?"

Kat pulled into the driveway of her house and turned off the engine before yanking out the keys and cramming them into the front pocket of her jeans. " Okay," She answered, suddenly less angry. " If you won't tell me, he will. I have better ways of making him talk."

Kat was gone before Bianca had a chance to protest further.

"You lied to me." Kat stated as soon as the motorcycle's engine died and Patrick tugged the helmet off his head.

He was running his hands through his wild hair to try to tame it as he watched her standing there looking at him with her hands on her hips and the same look on her face as her sister had given him only minutes before. He fought off the amusement he felt at how similar the seemingly world's apart sisters really were.

" What did I lie about ?" He asked as he got off the cycle and came to stand in front of her.

" What did Bianca really want earlier ?" She demanded.

Patrick caught the younger sister's eyes over her shoulder and she shook her head at him helplessly.

" She wanted to know if we were hanging out today." He told Kat slowly as if she were too dense to understand.

Kat eyed him for a few more minutes, not saying a word, thinking he would no doubt crack under her terrifying stare. He came a step closer and put his hands on her waist as he brushed a strand of hair from her face. " You are so hot when you're mad." He told her before kissing her once again.

If Kat thought she knew how to work Patrick it went the same way for him. They played each other perfectly. He knew she could rarely stay mad at him when he was so close to her. She knew if she teased him by making him think more was going to happen she had him. It was a constant power struggle and they played it almost everyday.

Bianca just shook her head as she retrieved her backpack from the backseat of the car and went inside, leaving them to their war in the driveway.

" Are you sure nothing's wrong ?" Patrick asked as he looked up from Kat's history book to find her staring off into space.

She shook her head, coming out of her self induced trance and forced a smile in his direction. "Everything's fine. Why ?"

" You aren't even paying attention to your book. You have a test and you're too distracted to study for it." He raised up from where he was leaning against her couch cushions and gave her his best seductive smile. " See, I don't mind you not studying when I'm what's distracting you, but I have nothing to do with this and I want to know what's on you're mind."

She shifted beside him and let her thigh come to rest against his. " It's nothing really. Just a headache."

He moved closer and put his arm around her shoulder. " Now who's lying ?"

She chuckled at that albeit a touch unenthusiastically. " I'm just having a bad day, I guess. Nothing's wrong."

He lowered his eyes and looked up at her from beneath his dark lashes. " Kat ?"

" Okay." She said finally, before turning to look at him square in the eyes. " What exactly are we doing here ? Are we a couple ? Do we have a thing ? See, I don't know and I'm really confused."

He huffed and shifted a little as well, pulling himself away from her. " That's what's bothering you ? We're back to this old argument ? Couldn't you find any fresh material to throw a fit about ?" The minute the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them, but it was too late to take them back.  
Her eyes were already dancing with fire and her mouth was set in a firm line that said she was angry enough to punch him any second.

" I'm not throwing a fit!" She nearly shouted at him. " I'm just looking for a little clarification. I guess it was too much to expect from such a commitmentphob."

"I'm not a commitmentphob. I just don't think it's necessary to label everything like that. Why do we have to dissect this thing all the time ? Can't you just be happy that we both like hanging out together ?" He countered just as loudly as he got to his feet. He really wasn't in the mood to fight with her, but if an argument was what she wanted, he was happy to oblige. He couldn't ever back down from a fight.

" Maybe I'm starting to think there might be someone else I want to hang out with more." She fired at him, throwing him completely off guard.

His teeth clenched at what he perceived as a threat from her. He didn't do ultimatums and that was certainly what that sounded like to him.

" So you're saying I have to either stake my claim on you like you're some piece of land I've just conquered or you'll find someone else to plant his flag on you ?" He spat. " Is there someone you have in mind, or is this just a hypothetically someone else ?"

She grunted in anger and got to her feet, her hands balled into fists at her sides as she began to pace around her half of the room restlessly.

" There isn't anyone specific, no." She answered. " If there was what would you do about it ?"

That threw him off as well and he plopped back down on the couch and rested his head in his hands for a moment trying to stave off the headache she was causing. Then he looked back up at her. " I have no idea. I know I wouldn't like it." He told her honestly.

She came to sit beside him, close enough that her leg was once again touching his. " That has to mean something, right ? Because I know I wouldn't like it if you found someone else to hang out with either."

" Okay so it means something. Do we really have to know what ?"

She turned so she was looking at him. " What happened to you to make you this messed up ? I mean you're only seventeen. You shouldn't have this much baggage already."

" Me ?" His eyes widened in surprise at her words. " And I guess you're just perfect, despite the fact that I never know from one minute to the next whether I've inadvertently said or done something to send you into orbit. I spend all my time walking on eggshells around you because I never know what's going to set you off."

" I'm not like that. I don't get angry without a reason." She insisted her voice raising in volume again and here he thought that this one might be over with.

" No, there's always a reason. Although half the time I think that reason is nothing more than you're bored and need something to scream and yell about." He shouted as he got to his feet again.

" Oh, no, Verona. I never have to make up reasons to scream and shout at you." She stood up as well. "You make sure I'm never lacking for material."

" Why do you have to be so angry all the time ?" He yelled, his chest practically brushing against hers as he took in every breath.  
" Why do you keep giving me reasons to be angry ?" She shouted back.

" I don't give them to you, you look for them, constantly." He countered, stepping away and pulling his hand through his hair. " I'm so fucking tired of fighting with you."

" Yeah ! I'm tired of fighting with you, too." She spat.

" I guess there's one sure fire cure then." He answered in a low dangerous voice. Then he stalked to the couch and grabbed his jacket from the back of it. Tugging it on, he turned on his heel and headed for the door. She stopped him for a moment with her next words.

" See, I knew it. I knew you'd walk away eventually."

He glanced over his shoulder at her momentarily. " Of course you knew it. You've been trying to make it happen for months now. I guess you really can't stand not being right all the time, can you ?" He turned back, but stopped at the doorway. " I just want you to know that I wasn't planning on going anywhere. You made this happen. You've been begging me to leave for so long I'm finally giving you what you want. You win. I concede the victory to you. Nicely played."

Then he left, letting the door slam behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

" You didn't call me." Bianca told him as soon as he answered the phone.

" I didn't figure there was much of a point now." Patrick said quietly.

" What happened earlier ?" Bianca wanted to know. " Kat's been in her room all night. She wouldn't come down for dinner. She won't let me or Dad in. What did you do to her ?"

Patrick huffed angrily as he sat up in his rumpled bed and adjusted the phone on his ear. He had really just about had it with the entire Statford family. " I gave her what she wanted."

" What the hell does that mean ? If you hurt her, I swear I will hunt you down." Bianca threatened.

" I'm really not in the mood for this tonight." He told her tersely.

" Do you care about her at all ? Or are you exactly who she thought you were all along ?"

" What does that mean ? Who did she think I was all this time ?"

" She thought you were the kind of guy that wouldn't stay around. Was she right or would you like to know what's really bothering her lately ?" Bianca asked cryptically.

" Okay," He sighed. " I'm pretty sure we just had a really loud conversation all about what's bothering her lately. But I'll bite. Give me you're insights."

" Tomorrow is the anniversary of the day Mom died. She always gets like this around this time of year. I wanted to warn you, but I never got the chance."

He was quiet for a moment, letting her words sink into his sleeply brain. " I'm sorry." He said finally. " I wish I had known."

" Don't apologize to me. I'm not the one that needs you right now." She informed him.

He shifted again. " So you think I should apologize to her ? I didn't do anything wrong this time."

" Does that really matter ?"

His voice lowered to almost a whisper. " I guess not. What am I supposed to do now ?"

" I know she's the biggest pain in the ass in the world. But that doesn't seem to bother you. You knew that coming into this thing." She explained patiently. " What she needs is to know that you care about her. She needs more than just hanging out. She's afraid you're going to leave. In her mind, everyone leaves eventually and you just proved her right."

" So what you're basically saying is that I'm a commitmentphob with a thing for a someone with abandonment issues ?"

She laughed quietly. " I guess so. Now the question is, who's issues are bigger ?"

" What are you doing here ? I thought we said everything we need to say to each other earlier ?" Kat hissed as she raised her bedroom window and glared at Patrick murderously.

" Move." He demanded without any other explanation.

Inexplicably, she did as he told her and stepped back from the window to give him enough space to enter the room. Once inside he closed the window again before turning to look at her.

Then he simply stepped towards her and pulled her into his arms, wrapping her tightly into him and holding there. He was surprised when she didn't protest. She just let herself melt into him as her arms came around him as well.

Then he heard the noise that made his heart physically stop beating for a time. She sniffled into his shirt. She sniffled and buried her face deeper into his chest at the same time tightening her arms around him.

" I'm sorry." He whispered as he smoothed her hair.

" No," She answered, wiping her nose on his shirt as she shook her head. " You're right I'm an impossible bitch."

" Yes, you are." He held her tighter as she tried to pull away from him. " But I wouldn't want you any other way."

" You're a smug, egotistical jerk." She told him though her words were muffled by his shirt. " But I wouldn't want you any other way either."

He pulled them both over to her bed and sat down before pulling her onto his lap and taking hold of her again. " Why couldn't you just tell me what was really bothering you ?" He asked. " You didn't even have to give me details. All you had to say was, Mom. I could have figured the rest out for myself."

She pulled back and looked at him in surprise, the tears gleaming in her eyes made his chest throb, but he ignored them because he knew she'd wanted it that way. " How did you find out ?"

He cast his eyes towards the wall opposite of the one where her bed sat, the wall that housed Bianca's room on the other side and she huffed impatiently. " I'm going to kill her."

" Now, don't be mad at her." He chided as he brought her back into his arms. " She loves you. She's just looking out for you."

" She's just sticking her nose where it doesn't belong." Kat argued.

" But, be honest. Aren't you really glad she did ?" He teased with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

She laughed quietly and put her head back on his shoulder. " Yeah, I guess I am."

" Of course you are, because..." He paused dramatically. " You're obsessed with me."

" I guess maybe I am a little." She admitted quietly and his pulse sped up at the acknowledgement.

He nuzzled her neck and held her tighter. " It's okay. I think maybe I'm a little obsessed with you, too."

They sat like that quietly for a long time, neither of them talking, neither moving, just holding to each other and enjoying the closeness.

Finally, Kat shifted and picked her head up. " I should try and get some sleep."She announced as she tried to slide off his lap.

He let her go reluctantly, but grab her hand before it could slip away from him completely. " Let me stay tonight."

His tone was quiet and sincere and she turned back to him instantly. " I don't think that's a good idea. If my Dad finds you in here, I don't know what he'll do, but it won't be pretty and it could possibly involve jail time and dismemberment."

" Your dad won't find me. I'll be gone before he gets up." He reasoned with her. Then he stood and came to wrap his arms around her again. " I need to stay. I'm not looking for anything. I just don't want to let you go tonight."

She sighed and gave him a look that said she was completely exasperated with him. " Just sleep." She told him.

" Well," He dipped his head to her shoulder and left a trail a kisses along her neck. " Maybe a little more than sleep."

She laughed and smacked his shoulder. " You never stop, do you ?"

" No, I'm a persistent, smug, egotistical jerk."

"Alright." She conceded. " But if he does find you in here, I'm claiming you sneaked in without my knowledge and tried to seduce me in my sleep."

" Oh, that's cold." He chuckled. " You wouldn't take the fall with me."

" Hell, no. I value my life and my freedom more than you do apparently." She laughed right back.

He stepped back and let her go so she could go about getting ready for bed. " Okay, I'll take the rap if it means getting to hold you all night."

He thought he heard her say something but the sound was muffled as he pulled his shirt over his head and let it fall to the floor.

When he looked at her again, her eyes were resting squarely on his now bare chest and they had taken on a dreamy, unfocused quality that caused his stomach to flop. " Like what you see ?" He teased.

" What ?" She snapped back to reality and shook her head to clear her thoughts. " I was just saying that that was a really sweet thing to say. I'm impressed. It's really outside your normal range."

He stepped back to her and wiped his finger at the corner of her mouth. " You had a little drool."

" Ass." She spat and hit him in the stomach.

" You'll take any excuse you can to touch me, won't you ?" He continued nonplussed.

She jerked away from him and went to her bed, sliding under the sheets and snuggling down into them to get comfortable.

He flipped off the overhead light, checked the lock on her door and came to sit on the edge of the bed to remove his boots. Once done, he stretched out beside her and pulled her into his arms. Without a word, she rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped one arm around his waist.

" Tell me about her." He said into the darkness as he tightened his hold her on.

" She was really pretty." Kat answered immediately.

" I knew that. You couldn't have possibly gotten your looks from your father." He laughed.

" She had the softest hands and the sweetest voice when she was trying to get us to go to sleep." She continued without hesitating. " But that same voice could be so scary and passionate when she talked about something she believed in. She always had a cause, something to fight for. She cared about so many things."

" Sounds familiar." He muttered into her hair.

" I hope so." She answered. " I want to be just like her. I want her to see that she is still making a difference where ever she is now."

Kat shifted and moved her body so that her face was more even with his.

" I'm sure she's proud of you." He told her.

" I'm sure she would have really liked you." She answered.

He laughed. " No parent really likes me, not even my own."

" I'm sure that isn't true."

" Oh, no, it really is. My mother told me once that if she had a daughter there is no way she'd let her date a guy like me." He said with a smile.

" That's a terrible thing to say to your son." Kat looked appalled.

" Maybe, but it's honest. Hell, if I had a daughter I'd never let her date a guy like me."

" You don't give yourself enough credit." She reprehended him in that voice that sounded like a lecture was coming on.

" No," He answered, pulling her closer and dropping his lips to her neck. " You just don't realize how much danger you're already in."

" Danger, huh ? What are you going to do, cannibalize me the second I fall sleep ? You know I'm not afraid of you."

His lips found hers and he captured her bottom lip between his. " Maybe you should be afraid of me." He whispered when he finally finished sucking on it.

She looked at him for a few heartbeats before grabbing his head and pulling it back down to hers. The feel of her lips, so soft and yielding under his was surreal and his hand flexed where it rested at her waist, digging his fingers into her skin. She gasped softly as his lips left hers and traced down her jawline and the column of her throat.

" I said sleep." She told him as she pushed at his shoulders.

" Okay." He answered, moving his head back to his pillow. " I'm sorry. I'll try to behave."

" Ha !" She laughed. " This I've got to see."

He instantly rolled to his back and placed his hands securely behind his head, staring up at the ceiling.

His jaw clenched as he felt her shift beside him, pulling her body more firmly into his and resting her head in the crock of his shoulder. Her breasts were pressed into his side and he followed their movement with each breath she took. Her hand came around his waist and laid there lazily. The warmth of her body was driving him insane and it took all his willpower to keep his hands behind his head. He wanted to hold her, to touch her, to let her know that just for the night, she wasn't as alone as she thought she was.

" Okay." She finally muttered impatiently. " You've proven your point. You can behave. Now will you stop."

He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her. " Stop behaving ?"

" Stop being an ass." She clarified.

She raised her head and wrapped her hand around his bicep, pulling his arm around her firmly. He let her position him how she wanted him. Once she was settled and happy with their position, he leaned his head down and brushed his lips against hers softly, almost tenderly.

" Goodnight, Kat." He whispered against her mouth.

" Goodnight, Patrick. And thank you."

" For what ?" He asked.

" Coming back, staying, everything." She answered as she stared at his lips, purposefully avoiding his eyes.

" I'm not going anywhere." He insisted.

" Thank you for that, too." She nodded.

" You're welcome." He said as he kissed her one more time.

Then they both feel silent and were asleep in minutes.


	3. Chapter 3

Kat shifted groggily, not understanding what had pulled her from her sleep. She glanced at the clock on the table beside her bed and sighed at the bright red neon 3:26, that greeted her. Why was she awake? She had been sleeping so soundly. A sound from behind her grabbed her attention and her sleep fogged brain began to panic.

She wasn't alone. Had Bianca sneaked into her room ? She had done it before, not in a long while, but still it wasn't unheard of. The noise came again and she knew immediately it hadn't come from Bianca.

Spinning quickly to face the source of the sound, her breath caught in her throat when her eyes landed on Patrick Verona laying on the pillow next to her. He was laying on his side, facing her now and his arm was thrown casually over her hip. She hadn't even noticed that until his fingers flexed into her flesh. Nails scrapped her skin causing her to wince. Another sound tumbled from his slightly parted lips and his eyes clenched tightly. His leg jerked under the blanket and almost contacted with hers, but she moved out of his way just in time.

At first the entire thing seemed funny, like watching a dog dreaming while sleeping. The noises he was making were even very close to the sound of an animal whimpering. Then the look on his face struck her and she realized that whatever he was dreaming, he certainly wasn't having a good time. She eased her arm out from under his and used the tip of her finger to try and smooth the crease from his brow. Then she moved to his cheek, stroking his skin and finding it softer than she ever imagined it would be. She knew she should probably try to wake him, help him escape from whatever unpleasantness was besieging him in his mind, but it was a rare moment of tenderness and she hated to break it. Her fingertips glided over his cheek and traced the ridge of his ear before landing in his hair.

His movements had stilled somewhat at her touch and she was happy to know that she was helping him in some small way at least. She let her hand trail through his hair, the soft, silkiness of it was an indulgence too great to resist. She loved his hair, so wild and untamed, just like him, dark and tempestuous.

Her fingers left his hair and followed down the column of his throat. She enjoyed the contrast from the silkiness of his hair to the rough stubble on his jaw. The contrast reminded her of him as well. Dangerous and mysterious, yet at times, when no one was around, he could be so kind and gentle. It was rare that he ever shared that part of him even with her, but she cherished every moment that he gave her. She really wished he trusted her more, shared more of himself with her. She wanted to know everything there was to know about him, but breaking through his walls seemed an impossible feat. She imagined that he felt the same way about her. Neither of them were very forthcoming with their emotions. But then they had both been hurt before. They both knew what it was like to lose something precious to them.

Her fingers left his throat after pausing briefly at the base to feel his pulse thumping against her thumb. It was comforting and reassuring.

At first she hated that. She hated that she felt so safe and secure and peaceful when he was around. She hated that she needed a man to make her feel that way. It had been so long since she felt truly safe and secure. Then it occurred to her that it wasn't about him being a man. It was about him being Patrick. That was what made her feel like she did. It had nothing to do with gender roles and everything to do with feeling so much less vulnerable when he was around. He had a way of quieting all her insecurities and making her feel like she could tell him anything, confess anything and it would never change the way he felt about her. She needed that. She needed to feel accepted. Not just accepted but cherished for being exactly who she was.

She splayed her hand over the expanse of his well defined peck and let it rest there for a moment. Her fingers itched to trail through the splattering of hair that tickled her palm, but she paused, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers. Then she gave into the impulse and let her nail tangle in the course black hair on his chest. It was something she had been dying to do for a long while. Despite their many, sometimes intense, make out sessions, he was never patient enough to just let her indulge in the decadence of feeling him like this. He was, after all, still a seventeen year old male. He had his limits, regardless of being moderately more mature than most of the mouth breathers they went to school with.

She continued to make a trail over his chest with her fingertip. Another noise escaped from him, this one sounding much less like a whimper and more like a moan. She glanced up at his face, dragging her eyes upward reluctantly, and found him still asleep. The crease was gone from his brow now and his eyes were no longer squinted shut. He looked so peaceful and content she carried on with her exploration of his skin. Then he shifted and brought his body closer to hers. His arm tightened around her waist bringing her lower body into contact with his. A shiver ran up her spine as she felt the evidence of what she was doing to him pushing into her thigh. It wasn't the first time she had ever felt him like that, but every time sent a trail of heat straight through her and made her heart bang into her ribcage.

Damn hormones, she muttered under her breath. There was a part of her, a part that was growing larger everyday they spent together, that wanted so badly to give into the temptation that was Patrick Verona. Everything about him was a temptation. She'd be lying to herself if she thought otherwise. She had wanted him from the moment he almost crashed into her door on her first day at Padua High. She hadn't really known it at first. She hadn't allowed herself to know it actually. But she knew now. She admitted it now, even if only to herself. He had been right all along, She was obsessed with him and she was very happy to know that he felt the same way.

She was still looking at his face, enjoying to heat from his body pressed tightly to hers when his expression changed suddenly and a look of panic again replaced the peacefulness. It was so much more intense this time. He began to thrash around restlessly and a bead of sweat broke out across his forehead, soaking his black curls to his skin in an instant. This time she knew she had to intervene.

She moved her hand to his shoulder and shook it gently, not wanting to startle him from his nightmare in fear that he might cry out and wake her father.

" Patrick," She whispered into the darkness as quietly as she could.

He still didn't stir, and the look of desperation clouding his features only gained in vividness. " Patrick," She repeated, a touch louder this time and gave his shoulder another shake.

Still she got no response from him other than another louder groan.

In a last ditch attempt, she shoved his shoulder much more forcefully and called his name as loud as she dared.

He bolted straight up in response as her name tumbled from his lips in what from anyone else would have sounded like a desperate whine.

His head twisted on his shoulders as his hands sought her out and she made sure he found her quickly by wrapping his arms around her as she sat up beside him.

" You were dreaming about me ?" She asked in surprise.

His chest was heaving now and his body covered in a sheen of sweat. " I don't remember. " He answered quickly. "Is it time to get up ?" He asked even as he pulled her closer to him, Clearly the memory of his dream may have been fading exponentially but the effects were remaining strong. His arms folded around her urgently and his heart was beating wildly against her cheek as she laid her head against his chest.

" We have a little while still." She said as she pushed against him to get him to lay back down. "Do you want to talk about whatever that was ?"

He shook his head. " It's nothing." He muttered.

" Obviously." She rolled her eyes and pulled away from him. " Why won't you ever talk to me ?"

He huffed and grabbed the blankets a bit tighter to his chest. " That's pretty rich coming from you." He answered.

" I'm just asking you to trust me, just a little. Obviously you remember some of your dream. Why won't you tell me about it, afraid it might tarnish your tough guy imagine ?"

" I don't want to talk about the damn dream alright. It was nothing and it's over now. Let it go."

" Would it really be so terrible to just let me in a little ?" She asked, not having any intention of letting it go.

" Would it have been so terrible for you to have told me this morning about your Mom ?" He countered.

She snatched at the blankets trying to yank them out of his hands. " And here I thought we were actually getting somewhere." She told him a touch louder than she should have.

" Yeah, me too." He answered at the same volume.

The phone beside her bed began to vibrate quickly causing it to dancing around on the table. KAt jumped in surprised alarm.

Kat snatched the phone and glanced at the screen before hitting the button and putting it to her ear.

" What ?" She demanded harshly.

" I don't know what the hell is going on over there, or who you're talking to but I can guess and if I can hear, it's a sure bet Dad will be able to as well. Maybe you should rethink the time and location of this particular yelling match. Something tells me Dad won't be too enthusiastic about your sleepover buddy." Bianca hissed at her in a whispered tone.

Kat pulled her hand through her hair and shifted, all the anger falling from her face as her heart stopped beating for a moment and her eyes went to the door.

Patrick raised his eyebrows at her in question but she didn't move, listening intently for any movement in the hall.

" Ah, thank you. I'm sorry we woke you up." She muttered into the phone before snatching it off and tossing it back on the table.

" Dad ?" Patrick asked in a hushed whisper.

Kat listened for another minute before finally shaking her head. " No, but we were loud enough that Bianca heard us so maybe we better try a little harder to keep it down."

Kat turned to look at him as she tugged a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes fell again to the place that they always landed, right in the center of his bare chest, but she forced herself to look up before he noticed. " Why does everything with us have to be a fight ? Why can't we just get along ?"

He shook his head but remained silent. Finally he sighed heavily, raked his hand through his hair and shifted as if to get out of bed.

" Maybe I should just go. We can talk about this in the morning. This really isn't the place to have this discussion. It sounds like it might be a loud one." He announced as he began to crawl out from under the blankets.

She had no idea what made her do it, but she reached out and grabbed his arm, stilling him immediately. " Don't leave." She said so quietly he could barely hear her and it was almost painful having to force those words out. It would have been impossible to add please to the end of it, though she wanted to desperately.

He turned back to her and gave her a look she couldn't define. There was something in his eyes that was completely foreign to her. Was it tenderness she saw there ? Love maybe ?

He moved back to his spot between her and the wall and settled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. She shifted so she could look at him and almost laid out beside him, but he started to speak and it stop her cold.

" I'm always running from something. Most of the time I'm alone. Sometimes my Dad is with me. More and more often lately it's you. But whoever it is, they always fall at some point and I don't have time to turn back and whatever is chasing us is on them before I can do anything to stop it." He told the ceiling quietly, never taking his eyes from that point above his head.

Her hand came out on its own volition and rested gently on his chest. " Every night ?" She asked when she realized he had nothing more to add.

" Most of them." He nodded.

" How long ?"

" Since I was ten." He whispered, finally looking at her.

" When your Dad took off," She nodded.

" Yeah, a couple of months after." He confirmed. Then he reached for her and pulled her down next to him. " Can we stop now ?"

She smiled up at him. " Yes. Thank you though. You didn't have to."

He returned her smile before laying a kiss on the top of her head. " It's okay. It wasn't that bad."

" And see, you're still a tough guy." She teased.

He yanked her into his side quickly, drawing a startled sound from her before he kissed her firmly. " I'll show you a tough guy." He announced once he let go of her lips. Then he shifted suddenly and she found herself on her back with him hovering over her.

One of her hands fell to his waist while the other landed in the middle of his chest. His hips settled over hers and she found herself enjoying the weight of him while at the same time the warning bells were screaming in her head. His lips found hers again and he went about kissing all the air from her lungs. Once satisified that she could no longer breath, he dropped his head to her jaw and began to trace it with the tip of his tongue. She groaned at the feeling and pulled hin closer at the same time. He found the pulse at the base of her throat and took a few seconds to flick his tongue over it before sucking gently. She arched into him, wanting him closer, trying to surround herself in his heat. His mouth moved lower, grazing the hemline of her t-shirt with kisses, while his hands strayed to the bottom of her shirt. His fingers grazed her skin as he eased it slowly upwards and she gasped into his mouth when she felt them brush the underside of her breast.

" Patrick." She whispered needlessly. He was already retreating, having felt her body tense under him.

" Shh.." He whispered back, returning to his place on the bed and bringing her back into his arms. "I'm sorry."

" It's okay." She assured him.

" No, I don't want you to think I'm pushing you. Sometimes I just get carried away. I don't think you understand exactly what you do to me." He brushed her hair from her face and began to smooth it with his fingers.

She nuzzled into his chest, letting herself enjoy his warmth. " I don't feel like you're pushing. I know you wouldn't do that." Her voice lowered even further. " I trust you."

He kissed her again at hearing that and when he pulled away his eyes were more intense than usual. "You're right, I wouldn't. I won't ever do anything to hurt you, you know that."

She nodded in response. " I swear I'm not being a prude or anything like that. I know we've both done it before -"

His head jerked up at that and his eyes were full of surprise. " I didn't know that."

" You didn't know that you've had sex before ?" She asked, trying to dodge the bullet from her slip of the tongue. " Weren't you paying attention ?"

" Seriously ?" He raised his eyebrows at her. " Are you really going to try to pull that ?"

" I thought I'd mentioned it before." She said lamely.

He shook his head. " No, I'm pretty sure I would have remembered that conversation."

Her eyes found his chest and this time she let herself just stare as it moved up and down with his breathing. " It only happened once. It was before I moved here."

" I guessed that much since I'm the only guy I've seen you around since you came here. Do you want to tell me about it ?"

" Not really." She answered. " It happened, it's done. Nothing much to say."

" Kat," He drew her closer and nuzzled her hair. " You can talk to me."

" See, I haven't really talked to anyone about it. Bianca knows it happened but she doesn't have the details. My father is blissfully oblivious to the whole thing and it really needs to stay that way." She sighed. " It wasn't a big deal."

He chuckled quietly. " Wasn't a big deal ? I know you better than that. Of course it was a big deal."

" Okay, maybe it was a big deal, but talking about it doesn't change anything. It doesn't make it go away." She answered matter-of-factly.

" Do you wish it hadn't happened ? Was it bad?" He pushed, but it was an easy push, not invading and she knew he was willing to let it drop if she insisted.

She considered doing just that, but then, he had shared his nightmare with her. Maybe she owed him something in exchange. Wasn't that how it was supposed to work ?

" I wasn't always like I am now." She began quietly and he shifted, bringing his face closer to hers so he could hear better. " I was actually a lot like Bianca. I wanted to fit in. I wanted to be popular and have more friends than I knew what to do with. I wanted to date the hottest guy in school and wear all the best clothes. So when the quarterback of the football team asked me to a party with him, I jumped at the chance. I was just a sophmore and I had no idea why he would chose me, but I didn't question it too much. I just went along. Anyway," She shifted suddenly not sure she wanted to continue the story. His eyes were so intense as they watched her speaking she didn't know if she could make the rest of the words come out.

" You don't have to tell me." He told her, seeing her hesitation. " It's okay. I won't push."

She shook her head, encouraged by his understanding. " It's fine. Like I said, no big deal. Anyway, it was at his house. He talked me into staying until everyone left and when they did we started making out on the couch. I had never been in that situation before. He told me how much he liked me and how I was so special and being a stupid barely sixteen year old girl, I fell for the whole thing, hook, line and sinker. The next day was terrible. He wouldn't talk to me, wouldn't even acknowledge my existance. I thought it was me. I thought I was just a horrible lay and it was all my fault." Patrick's hand tightened its hold on her hip and she could see his jaw tense as he clenched his teeth. But she didn't stop talking, it was too late now and it felt good to let it all out suddenly. " A few of his friends tried to get me to go out with them."

" He told them." He concluded on his own.

She nodded in response. " It wasn't long before it was all over school and I spent the next year fending off every guy that thought they could have a turn. So, now you think I'm some super slut, right ?" She sighed and hated the burning she felt in her chest.

She hated that his opinion of her mattered so much. She made a point out of not letting other people's opinion matter. But he wasn't just any other person. He was Patrick and she did care what he thought. She got even more angry as she felt the tears beginning to sting the corners of her eyes.

" I never said that." He answered, tightening his arm around her again. " I never even thought it and I'd kick anyone's ass who said it loud enough for me to hear or even looked like they might be thinking it, even though I know you'd just kick mine right back for doing it. And if it makes any difference at all, you got at least part of what you wanted back then."

She raised her eyebrows to encourage him to continue.

" You are now, in fact, dating the hottest guy in school."

She giggled. She actually giggled. She was pretty sure she had never made that noise before in her life. But the relief combined with his playful joke had caused the sound to bubble out of her without her permission.

He raised his head and his eyebrows as he looked at her. " Did you just-"

" Shut up." She slapped his chest. " Of course I didn't. Must have been Bianca in her sleep."

He chuckled quietly. " Must have been, because I know it couldn't have been you."

" Can we go to sleep now ? It's four in the morning and you have to get up in two hours and get out of here."

" I'm not sleepy now." He told her before kissing her softly.

She put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him back. " Don't start that again. We have to sleep. School in the morning and while you may nap intermittently throughout the day, I can't do that. I'm actually trying to graduate and go to college."

He pulled back and looked at her. " You don't think I'm planning on going to college ?"

She stammered for a moment before answering thinking she had once again put her foot in her mouth. " I didn't mean it like that. It's just that you never seem to take all this very seriously. I just figured you were trying to get through and get out."

" Relax. It's fine." He assured her. " I was just messing with you. Getting through and getting out sounds pretty sweet to me."

" You've never thought about what happens after ?" She asked, subconsciously letting her fingers run through the hair on his chest again.

" I haven't given it much thought really." He shrugged. " Maybe I'll just follow you." She tensed and stopped moving completely, not sure how to respond to that. " Hey," he said, getting her attention again. " I'm not purposing. It was just a thought. I'm not really that into making plans."

" No, it's okay. I just hadn't thought about it either until now."

He kissed her forehead before pulling away and giving her a little a space. " Go to sleep. You're right. You'll be exhausted tomorrow."

She turned in his arms and settled with her back against his chest, tugging his arm tighter around her waist. " Goodnight, Patrick."

She felt him lean into her, nuzzling his nose into her hair. Then his lips found the spot right below her ear and he kissed it gently. " Goodnight, Kat."


	4. Chapter 4

He hadn't gone back to sleep, too afraid of another nightmare to risk it. And he was having entirely too much fun watching her.

She had fallen asleep on her side with her back to him but as soon as he felt the rhythm of her breathing even out, he shifted and eased over until she was laying on her back. Her head rested heavily on his arm and he noticed that his bicep was tingling from having fallen asleep due to the weight but he didn't care. The damn thing could fall off and he still wouldn't move her out of his arms. This was too precious. A declawed Kat laying peacefully beside him, trusting him enough to completely let go and sleep next to him. It was a gift and there was no way he was taking it back. It fit him too well, he liked it too much.

In fact he was beginning to realized that he liked just about everything about her entirely too much. The whole thing was bordering on becoming something he hadn't planned on. To be honest it was already there. He knew that. He had known that for quite some time. Somehow she had manage to barge her way inside, get to him in a way no one else ever had. And that's exactly how she'd done it. She hadn't eased into his soul quietly. That wasn't her way. No, she had hammered down his walls and barged inside without his permission. That was her. Always so intent and determined, stubborn and proud. Everything she did, she did in the extreme. Nothing was halfway with her and he loved that about her.

He loved watching the fire light behind her mocha colored eyes when her passion flared about some cause or another. He loved watching her little hands curl into fists when she was angry. He loved the way her eyebrows shot up her forehead when she was surprised or outraged by one of his comments. He loved the blush on her cheeks when he said something nice to her. She was right about that. Saying nice things was out of his range. It wasn't something he was very comfortable with. He hadn't been given a lot of compliments in his life so giving them out was hard since he had no real frame of reference. But he loved the way she reacted to them so he made a point of trying to ease one in whenever he got the chance.

She moved suddenly in her sleep, turning so that she was facing him while wrapping her dainty hand around his arm at the same time. She made a soft mewing kind of noise as she snuggled more firmly into him and his heart literately skipped an entire beat at hearing it. It reminded him of the giggle. He knew she couldn't have been more embarrassed if it had been a fart, but for him hearing her make that sound and knowing that he was the cause of it made his chest swell. It had been the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard. Kat giggled. Kat giggled because of something he had said. And the comment had been made in all honesty. Just the thought of any of the low rate, simple morons they were forced to associate with thinking she was anything less than perfect sent his blood boiling. They were all so beneath her he was surprised she even knew of their existence.

That's what she was, as far as he was concerned. A goddess among mere mortals. He would never actually tell her that, of course. That was just too cheesy to utter aloud. But it was how he felt. Her beauty alone made his insides flip. And he was very glad that most people didn't see what he saw when he looked at her. The competition would kill him. If the idiots they surrounded themselves with everyday took the time to really look at her instead of running in fear of her, there would be hell to pay. He'd never get a moments rest. He had been around plenty of girls that tried so hard to achieve what she did without giving it a second thought. Right now, laying in his arms, no make up on, hair falling unkempt around her shoulders, baggy pajamas covering her enticing frame, she was without a doubt the most exquisite thing he'd ever encountered. And it was so effortless for her. But God when she actually did try the results were beyond amazing.

His thoughts wandered back to the night of the spring dance. She wore a simple black dress. It wasn't stunning or dramatic on its own. But with her in it, it was spectacular. She had worn make up that night and her hair had been up. Closing his eyes he could still conjure up the perfect picture of her without even trying, as if his mind had realized what it was looking at and taken a picture to replay over and over again.

She shifted again and he looked up at her face to make sure she was still sleeping. He couldn't imagine her reaction if she woke to find him gawking at her like he was. Sometimes it was so hard to figure out how she would respond to things. It was like playing with a wild animal at times. One minute she was letting him get close enough to pet her while the next instant she was biting him hard enough to draw blood. Maybe that's why he liked her so much. She appealed to his love of danger, of never knowing what to expect.

He slowly raised his hand to her cheek and let his knuckles brush across her skin, the smoothness of it surreal against his rough skin. He lingered there for a moment before following the curve of her face to her ear. He took the lobe between his fingers and rub it softly, eliciting yet again sound from her. Afraid of waking her, he continued his journey to her hair, letting his fingers run through her dark colored tresses. As they slipped through his fingertips, they landed on her shoulder splaying out like a decadent waterfall of chocolate. The artist in him admired the effect.

Yes, there was an artist in him. He kept it hidden, but it was there. The soul of a poet and the heart of a lion. That's how his father had described him once. He liked that. When his nine year old self had asked what he meant, his father had replied, ' It means you aren't afraid of being a man and you appreciate the beauty in the world around you.'. He was pretty sure his father had nailed him right then. That was exactly how he saw himself. It was who he wanted to be and he tried his best to live up to that description every day. It was hard sometimes, trying to be both at the same time. Somewhere along the way he found that he had to compromise the poet part of him in order to be the lion. And that was fine with him. He'd rather be the lion on the outside. People gave him more space that way.

He let his hand drift down to Kat's shoulder. Her t-shirt had pulled down with her movements and he could just make out her collarbone in the light from the window. The ridge itself struck him as something beautiful and intriguing. He let his fingertip brush over it carefully, feeling the softness of the skin that covered the hardness of her bone. It was amazing, the contrast of the two things at once. He sighed from the effect and wondered at the same time if he would ever get a chance to do what he was doing while she was awake. He wanted to share the experience with her.

Actually, it was quickly coming to a point where he wanted to share every experience with her. He loved watching her reactions to the world around her. It was very nearly intoxicating for him.

His fingertip continued to travel down the line of her shirt, easing along the neckline gently. He paused for a handful of heartbeats at her breastbone, wanting so badly to delve his finger further downward and let it graze the valley between her breasts.

He knew he wouldn't do it. He would never betray her that way. She trusted him and it was something special to him. He would never do anything to jeopardize that trust. But the notion was beyond tempting, all the same. He wanted her. He wanted her to the point that it was becoming painful. He needed to feel as close to her as he possibly could, wanted to show her how incredibly important she was to him. But she continued to hold back and he would never ever try to push her further than she was comfortable with.

The new revelations he had learned from her had surprised him. He always just assumed she was a virgin. He had never imagined that she wasn't. It definitely didn't change how he felt about her or make him see her any differently whatsoever. But it did inspire in him a new sense of protectiveness that he wasn't prepared for. He knew the experience had hurt her. He could tell it from the tone of her voice. She was wounded and it made him feel as if, despite the fact that he hadn't even known her at the time, he had failed her somehow. It made him feel like he hadn't been where he need to be to stop any of that from happening. He knew it was ridiculous. And he knew that he would never be able to protect her from every hurt she might someday experience but he decided in that moment he was determined to try. She might not like it, but that certainly wouldn't stop him. He also knew that despite her sometimes loud protests to the contrary, Kat was in essence extremely fragile and insecure. The loss of her mother had damaged her on a deep level and he found himself wanting nothing more than to do everything in his somewhat limited power to repair that damage.

That was also a silly thought. He knew he couldn't fix her, couldn't take away her pain or make it all better. But he wanted to try.

The light from the window that he often used as a door was becoming brighter, the sky turning from the darkness of midnight blue to the gray of dawn. It was a subtle change, but the fact that he could actually make out the freckles that splattered her nose told him it was time for him to go. With a careful, slowness he eased his arm out from under her and stopped moving until she settled against her pillow. Then he gently lifted the blankets in order to slid out from under them. Getting to the foot of the bed was much harder. Every movement took the chance of waking her and he didn't want to do that. She looked entirely too peaceful to disturb.

Finally getting to his feet, he quietly went about finding first his shirt, then his boots. After dressing, he paused for a moment to reset her alarm so it wouldn't wake her so early. She could get another hours sleep out of the night since she didn't have to get him up and out before anyone found him.

Kissing her one last time, he left, closing the window behind him securely.

" I need your help." An annoying voice called from behind him. He was beginning to regret the fact that he had actually made it to school with time to spare this morning. This was exactly why he always came in at the last possible second.

Turning while trying to hide his grimace he looked up into the bright, cheerful face of Cameron James.

" What is it?" Patrick huffed impatiently.

" I need some advice."

Patrick looked him over carefully. " I'd rethink the shirt. Actually I'd rethink the entire outfit. You look like Mr. Rogers." Then he turned and started to walk away again, but Cameron fell into step with him causing Patrick to groan inwardly.

" Um, ouch. But this isn't about my style. It's about Bianca."

Patrick sighed. " Of course it is." He muttered.

" See, I know you're pretty close to her sister." Patrick cut his eyes to towards the overly tall boy and Cameron grimaced at the glare. " I was just wondering if you might put a good word in for me sometime when your hanging out and Bianca happens to be there."

Patrick stopped walking and turned to him. " Okay, first, we don't really hang out with Bianca if it can be avoided. Second, she's dating Donner. Has been for a while. She even seems pretty happy about it, though I really can't understand that. And third, Dude, she's just not that into you."

Cameron's happy expression bled away quickly and his shoulders slumped. " But I can't stop thinking about her. I've tried but nothing works."

" Buy a puppy. Maybe that will take your mind off her." Patrick suggested, trying to keep the scorn out of his voice. He really did feel bad for the guy. It was hard being as pathetic as he was, Patrick imagined anyway.

" What would you do if it was Kat that was dating someone else and she wasn't that into you ?" He asked.

Patrick's teeth involuntarily clenched at the thought, but he hid it well. " I'd get over it and move on. Bianca isn't the only chick in the world."

" Don't you get it, Man ? I love her." Cameron countered in a whiny voice that drove Patrick insane.

" Can you hear yourself ?" Patrick asked out of frustration. " She doesn't want you. This is bordering on stalking. Let it go. You aren't in love with her. You hardly know her."

" That's not true. I know everything about her. I know she loves Mocha frappuccinos. I know her least favorite class is Trig. I know she chews the ends of her pencils. I know her favorite color is pink and someday she wants to start her very own cosmetic company. I know she loves 20/20, but won't admit it out loud. I know her favorite movie of all time is Beauty and the Beast. And I know she's not really the person everyone sees when they look at her. I know there's so much more to her than that. She's a wonderful singer and an amazing dancer. She loves to watch Dancing with the Stars, American Idol and Project Runway. I know she's the most amazing girl I've ever met and I can't get her out of my head." He sighed heavily at the end of his speech and looked at Patrick with big round eyes. " Haven't you ever just known someone was right for you ? Known you could be make them so happy if they just gave you the chance ?"

Patrick looked away, casting his eyes to the floor and thinking that he knew exactly what the other boy was talking about. Then he made a decision and looked back up. " What you need to do is show her that." He said finally. " If you really think that you can make her happier than Donner, prove it."

" How ?"

" Well, doing what you're doing now clearly isn't working. Pushing her away so you can get over her is not the answer. Like you said, it isn't working anyway." He reasoned.

" Hey." Patrick heard a familiar voice call from behind him and turned around to see Kat walking up to him. She stopped beside him and all he wanted to do was get rid of Cameron and wrap her up in his arms.

" Hi," He gave her a smile.

" What's going on ?" She asked, casting her eyes briefly up to Cameron before returning them to him.

" Cameron is obsessing about your sister." He informed her.

" Why ?" Kat asked without missing a beat.

Patrick shook his head and winced. " Don't get him started again."

" She's managed to convince my father that Joey Donner is the best thing since they started slicing bread before they sell it. So good luck there." Kat rolled her eyes.

" What do I do ?" Cameron whined again.

" You'll figure it out." Patrick told him as he took Kat's hand to lead her away.

" I'm not letting this go. I need help." Cameron called after them.

" Later." Patrick told him over his shoulder.

He led them down the hall towards Kat's locker without saying anything else. When they got there, Kat turned and leaned her back against the metal and looked at him.

It was too much to resist. He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. It was a chaste kiss for them, not their usual heated touch, and he hoped it would be enough to get him through the day. She was already pushing against his chest.

" What's with the PDA ?" She joked as she managed to pull him off of her.

" I couldn't help it." He shrugged.

" You left without saying goodbye." She announced, pulling her hair behind her ear.

He smiled and started to lean in again, but stopped himself just in time. " I said goodbye. You just didn't hear me. Are you feeling better today ?"

" A little." She shrugged and tried to force a smile.

" I have something special planned for today." He told her. " Just get through the day and I'll make it all better after school."

" What exactly do you have planned ?"

" You'll see. If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise." He teased.

" I don't like surprises."

" You'll like this one, I promise." He assured her.

" What if I don't want to hang out with you tonight ?" She asked, completely deadpan and for a moment he believed she was being truthful. " What if I have other plans tonight ?"

His smile faded a touch. He really wanted to do something for her today of all days, but if she had plans with her family, he supposed he'd have to live with that. " It's cool. If you need to be with your family, I understand."

" Dad always works a double shift today. It's easier for me that way. And Bianca is going to Joey's tonight. He has something planned, too. So I'm kidding. I'd love to hang out." She smiled finally. " But I really don't like surprises."

The relief showed on his face as the smile returned. " You trust me, right ?"

She nodded slowly as if suddenly not so sure.

He stepped up and brushed his lips against hers again before she had a chance to protest. " Then I'll see you after school. It'll be great. I promise."

She grabbed his jacket before he could take off and held him still. " Verona, you know that today is really not the day to play with me."

" I know. I'm not playing with you. You like what I have in mind. This time you'll just have to go with it and let me be in control for once." He shrugged. " You might even find that it isn't so bad, letting someone else call the shots."

Her eyes widened. " Are you calling me a control freak ?"

He took her hand in his, more to remove it from his jacket than as a show of affection, but he squeezed it in the process. " If the shoe fits, Cinderella." He smirked. " I'll see you later."

Then he let go of her hand and dashed away without giving her a chance at the last word, something he knew drove her crazy.


	5. Chapter 5

Kat wrapped her arms and legs tighter around the man in front of her. She still wasn't sure about the motorcycle. She would much rather travel in something with doors, and a roof. But she had to admit it was nice, though she expected the thing that was nicest about riding on Patrick's bike was getting to cling to him the way she was. The hardness of him felt delicious against her and she could allow herself the luxury of holding him like she was without hating herself for it. Being independent and empowered didn't really grant her the opportunity to cling to a man so desperately without the excuse of bodily harm, at least in her mind.

They stopped at a light and he put one foot on the pavement to steady the bike and raised a hand to the middle of his chest, placing it over hers and giving them a a quick squeeze. " You're okay." He called over his shoulder. " I won't let you fall off."

The helmet made it hard to hear, but she got his point and reluctantly loosened her grip, just a little.

" There you go." He nodded to her, encouragingly. " Relax. This is supposed to be fun."

She felt his chest shake with a chuckle when he started off again and her arms immediately resumed their death grip.

They moved through the streets a touch faster than she thought they should have been going and she thought several times about letting herself look around and enjoy the scenery. But the urge to rest her head on Patrick's shoulder was too great and despite the bulky helmet, that's what she did. Now she understood why so many people didn't wear them. It was an annoyance and she wanted nothing more than to rid herself of the barrier between them. Her sense of self preservation wouldn't let her do that, of course, but she wanted to so badly it drove her crazy. The feel of his shoulder blade under her cheek would be wonderful.

Since she wasn't looking around her, she was surprised when they pulled up in front of a house and stopped. She found herself unfamiliar with the area of town they were in.

" Where are we ?" She asked as she yanked the helmet off and let him go.

" I just need to stop here to a second. There's something I forgot." He informed her, getting off the bike and giving her a smile.

" This is your house ?" It was a moderate sized house, plain and simple in structure. Nothing special or out of the ordinary about it. One story, white siding, a tiny little porch devoid of any sort of decoration. The yard was fenced by chain link and a sidewalk ran from the porch to the street.

He nodded. " What ?" He asked as she eyed the place critically. " You were expecting the Bat Cave or maybe a crypt ?"

" No," She smiled at his attempt at humor. " I don't know what I was expecting really. It's nice though."

He laughed. " Well, it isn't a grand palace, but it's home, at least for now. Give me a minute. I'll be right back." He turned to go inside before turning back to her. " Unless you'd like to come in."

" Is your Mom home ?" She asked, tentatively as she started to get off the bike herself.

" Work." He shook his head.

" Would you rather I wait here ?"

" No, you can come in. I've seen where you live. I guess turnabout is fair play." He shrugged.

" Well, this isn't exactly turnabout. I didn't have to stalk you to find out your address."

He unlocked the gate and held it opened for her with a laugh. " I didn't stalk you."

" You followed me home from school one day. I think that qualifies."

He stopped at the front door and used his key to open it before giving it a shove and allowing her entrance.

Once inside she stopped immediately and reached back for Patrick, grabbing his hand with hers as she looked down at what appeared to be around a hundred pounds of dangerous looking dog.

Patrick dropped her hand as he went down to one knee and called the intimidating animal over to him. The dog, a dark brown mutt with a huge tail that thumped insistently against the hard wood floor got up and sauntered over to them, lowering his head to Patrick's hand in expectation of getting his ear scratched.

" This is Spock." Patrick announced. " He won't hurt you unless you're beef flavored and," He stood up and put an arm around her waist while his lips nuzzled her neck. " Last time I checked you weren't, so you're safe."

She slapped at him playful and bent to pet the dog as well. The entire back half of him shook with the force of his tail wagging when she scratched behind his ear.

" Spock ?" She raised her eyebrow at Patrick.

He shrugged nonchalantly. " Mom's a fan."

" We've known each other for months. How is it that I didn't know you had a dog or a house for that matter ?" She stood back up.

" You know me, I like to keep the mysterious thing going." He smiled. " So now you know. I have a house and a dog and in a minute, if you follow me, you'll see that I hate to do laundry and my room is as big of a mess as you might expect it to be."

The first thing she noticed when he stopped outside of a door at the end of the hall was the posters. They seemed so cliche and not him. One depicting a motorcycle, of course, nearly covered the entire door, another a toxic waste symbol in bright yellow announcing that those entering should beware.

She should have listened to the sign. It had warned her, after all. He had even warned her. It shouldn't have been a surprise and really it wasn't. It was exactly what she expected it to be. Clothes laid in piles everywhere a spare surface existed. She thought there might be a desk with a chest of drawers beside it, right inside the door, but it was hard to tell under all the clutter. Empty food cartons, papers with messy scrawl and again clothes on top of clothes covered their surfaces almost completely. The bed, a full size with a mattress that sagged in the middle and a metal headboard with rusted patches here and there, was thrashed. Dingy, black cotton sheets were only attached to two corners, opposite ones, making a strange sort of diamond shape across its expanse. A rumpled, worn comforter that might have been blue plaid at one time now looked pale blue from where it could be seen falling off the foot of the bed and cascading onto the floor in a heap. A black leather jacket was thrown careless over the back of an office chair that had definitely seen better days. And again, posters, a hot blond girl straddling a Harley, a tie dyed mushroom surrounded in back velvet, she was pretty sure it was black light active because there was one mounted on the wall over it and a poster of Bob Marley holding his guitar at a mic stand. The one that did surprise her was of the album cover of the Beatles, Abbey Road. She owned the album itself so she recognized it immediately. It looked newer than the others and not as dusty or worn. A table sat on one side of the bed, holding a red lava lamp, an alarm clock and an assortment of bottles and cans of everything from beer to soda to energy drinks. Apparently he was a collector, she smiled to herself. The other thing that surprised her was the overcrowded, rickety bookshelf on the other side of the bed, with titles that included everything from the classics to the latest mystery novels.

She raised her eyebrows at the books and gave him a smirk. " You can read ?"

" No," He shook his head. " I have them here to impress girls. Did it work ?"

She scanned the titles, some didn't surprise her, Frankenstein, Bram Stoker's Dracula, the complete works of Edgar Allen Poe. Others took her aback, Leaves of Grass, a collection from Robert Frost and many more. " Poetry ?" She commented going over to the shelf and letting her fingers bump along the well worn spines.

He shrugged in response but said nothing to confirm or deny it.

" I never took you for a poetry lover." She smiled, still perusing the titles.

" ' She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies And all that's best of dark and bright meet in her aspects and her eyes.'" She heard his low, silky voice reciting as he came to her and put his hands on her waist.

" Lord Byron ? Now I am impressed." She leaned back against his chest without realizing she was doing it. Something about his voice saying those words had be-spelled her completely. Just when she thought he couldn't be any more perfect, he amazed her all over again.

" Oh, there's plenty more where that came from." He whispered against her ear.

" You really do have all the moves down, don't you ?" She asked, turning in his arms and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

" How else would I be able to bang all the chicks I've banged ? I've worked hard at perfecting this technique."

" Why can't you just admit that your a big softy ?" She smiled.

He sighed and pulled her closer. " Because if I did, how would I know you'd still respect me in the morning."

She let her fingers run through the hair at the nape of his neck and he leaned his head back into her touch. " How do you know I wouldn't respect you more ?"

His eyes caught hers and something passed through them that sent a shiver down to her toes. The next thing she knew he was kissing her and it was heaven. His lips danced with hers, colliding perfectly. His hand splayed over the small of her back, large enough to cover the entire expanse while the fingers of his other hand surrounded her waist and flexed into it deliciously. She sighed into him, enjoying the feel his body so flush against hers.

When he pulled away it was only for long enough to catch his breath before he kissed her again. Then they were stumbling, falling backwards until they found the soft mattress behind them. His body twisted at the last minute so that he landed to her side instead of on top of her, but his lips never left contact with hers.

Then just as quickly as it started he pulled away and stood up, hastily moving to the foot of the bed where he paused and pulled his hand through his hair. A deep breath later, he was grabbing the jacket from the back of the chair and heading towards the door.

" This is what I forgot. We should get going." He told her with a glance over his shoulder before he left the room.

Kat scrambled to her feet still disoriented by his sudden withdraw. The abruptness stunned her and left her feeling suddenly cold and a little rejected. She had no idea what had happened, but she was sure that she wasn't pleased that he stopped.

She staggered, getting ungracefully to her feet and feeling very grateful that he had already left the room and wasn't there to witness it.

" Wait up." She called once she was in the hall.

He stood from where he was again bent down scratching the dog and turned to look at her. " What ?"

" What was that ?" She asked, catching up with him finally.

He opened the door for her and she went out first, watching as he closed it behind him and locked it up tightly. " I didn't want to get distracted. We have plans, remember ?"

" Better plans than that ?" She asked herself under her breath. She thought she'd said it low enough for him not to overhear, but he turned back to her and smiled.

" Oh, I plan on revisiting that conversation later. Trust me." He assured as he settled onto the bike and handed her the jacket. " Take this. It can get a little chilling where we're going."

It was a short ride on an uncrowded road to get them where they were heading. Kat smiled as she realized he was pulling into the same turn off they had come to on the day she'd walked out of school with him. She would never forget that particular day. Not only had she jeopardized her chance at Brown that day, but she had also realized that she liked Patrick Verona a little more than she would ever admit out loud. It was the first time she really understood how much his opinion of her mattered to her.

He pulled into an empty place not far from the beach and turned off the bike. She was still holding him to her chest a little too tightly when he reached up and put his hands over hers where they were locked in place right over his heart. He squeezed her joined hands for a moment.

She tugged off the helmet and placed it on its holder behind her then re-wrapped her arms around him since he made no move to leave the motorcycle just yet and she was happy to stay right where she was, too.

Her cheek came to rest on his shoulder and he leaned back into her taking one of her hands in his.

She wondered how long they could stay like this, so peaceful and serene. Neither of them angry or feeling the need to shout at the other. It was rare for them and she wanted to drag it out for as long as she could.

Finally he shifted and she let him go, removing herself from the bike and watching as he did the same and chucked the keys into the front pocket of his worn, ragged blue jeans.

" You brought me to the beach ?" She smirked. " This isn't a surprise. I could have easily guessed this."

His smile when he returned hers was smug and self congratulatory. " Oh, but I'm not done."

Taking her hand he lead her out to the sand and stopped for a handful of minutes to let his eyes wander over the horizon.

" Is my surprise out there ?" She asked, scanning the ocean to find anything out of place.

He shook his head. " No, but someone once told me that you should never pass a place like this and take it for granted. He said it was important to stop and appreciate it every time like it was the first time you'd ever seen it."

She watched him as he spoke and nearly lost herself in the far away dreamy look in his eyes as he watched the oceans waves crash against the shore.  
Deciding that that was probably the best advise she'd ever heard, she drew her gaze away from him reluctantly and let herself soak in the majesty in front of her as well. Without realized it, she found his chest and let herself sink into his warmth while they just silently stood and looked out before them. His hands came to her waist and his head rested on her shoulder.

" I could get used to this. It's so beautiful." She whispered into the gathering wind.

" So could I." He sighed and she turned her head to see that he was no longer looking at the ocean, but at her instead.

She gulped down the sudden storm of her emotions at catching the look in his eyes. She wasn't ready for him to be looking at her like that. She wasn't ready for any of this. It was all so.... romantic and unrealistic. He wasn't that guy. The guy that spouts verses of poetry and takes long walks on the beach. And she wasn't that girl either. The girl that giggles every time he has something amusing and flips her hair and cares about whether her make up is smudged. They weren't these people. As far as she could tell they weren't even a couple. Yet here they were doing something very couply. The togetherness, the emotional side of the whole thing was causing a lump in her throat and she had a sudden urge to run. Run as far and as fast as she could.  
She found herself wanting nothing more than to escape. She didn't know how to be this person. She was certain it wasn't her wanting to grab hold of him and cling to him for as long as he let her. It couldn't be her that felt her heart racing so fast she thought it might explode. It couldn't possibly be her turning in his arms and pulling him down for kiss that seared her lips and caused her stomach to flop. Making out was one thing, but this was more. There was so much more in the kiss it terrified her. And if his shaking was any indication, it scared him as well.

" We should go." He announced as he pulled away from her and took her hand again. " It's this way."

With a sigh on her lips, she let him lead her along the beach. They walked for a short distance down the shore until he started to slant off towards the parking area again. She thought at first they were leaving until she spied a splash of color intertwined among the rocky outcroppings.

Just as she realized he was leading her towards a cave, off set into the rocks, several large drops of rain landed on her shoulder, streaking down the protective coating of his leather jacket. Patrick wasn't so lucky and by the time they ducked under a tree that was protecting the entrance of the cave, his plain gray t-shirt was sticking to his skin in several places.

He turned to her with a smile as he started towards the entrance. " I found this place a while back. I come camping here sometimes. You'll like it."

She stopped walking when she saw the yellow tape stretched across the archway. It read ' Danger' in bold black writing and she was inclined to listen to such announcements.

He tried to tug her forward as she dug her heels into the sand and he turned back to her.

" What ?" He asked.

" We shouldn't go in there. There's apparently danger in there." She told him, pointing at the warning.

He laughed. " I put that there."

" What ?"

He pulled her along with a determined grip that left her helpless to do anything but tag along behind.

" I put it up so no one would go into the cave before we got here. I didn't want anyone to find your surprise and help themselves to it." He explained as he ripped the tape down and ducked under the archway.

She had to duck a little as well to keep from hitting her head, but once inside she straighten and narrowed her eyes in an attempt to see into the dimness. " A dark cave is my surprise ? Ah, Patrick you shouldn't have, really. There could be bats or animals in here. Are sure this is safe ?"

She heard him laugh as he dropped her hand and started digging through his pockets. " Yes, it's safe. Like I said, I come camping here. Nothing's living in here except us."

A clap of thunder resounded outside and she decided that the cave might be the lesser of two evils.

She was just about to find a place to sit when fire suddenly exploded in Patrick's hand and the cave lit up marginally.

" Just stay right there and close your eyes." He told her. " Let me get everything set up."

She rolled her eyes instead until he gave her a look that said he wanted no argument from her. " Will you please just trust me and do what I say for once ?"

She huffed as she sat down on the cool, damp ground, crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes. " This better be good, Verona."

" It will be." He assured her.

She heard him rustling around with something, smelled the sharp odor of wood burning and saw the brightness shift through her eyelids. She was trying hard to do as he asked, keeping her eyes clenched in an effort to behave, but it was excruciating.

" Can I look now ?" She asked impatiently.

" Not yet." He informed her. " Just a few more minutes."

" This is ridiculous." She pouted.

" Don't be a baby. It'll be worth it. I promise."

More rustling and she almost opened her eyes regardless of his warning. It was killing her not knowing what was happening around her. Another clap of thunder turned her head towards the cave entrance but she kept her eyes closed all the while.

"It's really starting to come down out there. I'm glad we made it in before it really got going." He commented from some distance away from her.

She didn't answer, instead folding her arms over her chest again and sticking her bottom lip out in response.

Suddenly he was in front of her, kneeling down and grabbing hold of her lip with his, pulling it between them and sucking it on tenderly, before giving it a nip. When he pulled away she could almost hear the smile in his voice. " See that's what happens when you pout. If you stick your lip out like that someone is going to bite it." Her tongue nearly came out before he laughed and stopped her with a warning, " Same goes for that. I dare you to try."

She almost took him up on the offer, but her curiosity got the better of her and she stopped just in time.

" Can I look now ?" She asked.

" Yes, you can look now."

He was the only thing she saw at first, since he was kneeling in front of her and pushing her hair from her shoulder. Then he moved to the side so she could take everything in and she couldn't help the smile that took over her face.

A fire was trying to take light in a stone fire pit in the center of the small cave. It smoldered and crackled as the dry twigs he used began to catch. He had a blanket laid out beside it, an old comfortable looking, red plaid, wool one. To the side of it sat a basket and beside that a box that she recognized immediately as a laptop computer. He had several candles lit around the edges of the circular shaped floor space.

" What's in the basket ?" She said getting to her knees and easing towards it.

" Come find out." He offered as he got to his feet long enough to go to the basket. Once there, he took time to take off his boots before settling Indian style on the blanket. She followed his lead, slipping off her shoes before taking her place beside him. Their knees brushed against each other as he leaned over and grabbed the picnic basket. She watched in delight as he reached in and produced several fruit filled containers, several more vegetable filled containers, some crackers and cheese. The last thing to come out was two bottles of water and two bottles of juice.

" Nothing with a face." He smiled at her as he arranged the spread in front of them.

" This is wonderful. " She breathed as she reached for a carrot stick and popped it into her mouth.

" I told you you would like it." He continued to smile.

" How did you do all this ? When ?" She asked, taking a piece of broccoli this time.

" I skipped the last period. But my mom is to thank really. She owns a deli. I asked her to make up the basket." He shrugged.

Her eyes raked over the spread of cheese, fruits and vegetable for a moment before finding the laptop " What's that for ?"

" This, of course." He said as if she were an imbecile. He grabbed the laptop and started to fiddle with it for a few minutes before music started to spill from its speakers.

_Birds flying high, you know how I feel_

_Sun in the sky, you know how I feel_

_Breeze drifting on by, you know how I feel_

_It's a new dawn; It's a new day; It's a new life for me, yeah, _

_It's a new dawn; It's a new day; It's a new life for me; and I'm feeling good_

He sat the laptop aside and moved closer to her, putting one arm around her and nuzzling her neck as the sweet, soulful sound of Nina Simone echoed through the cave.

_Fish in the sea, you know how I feel _

_River running free, you know how I feel_

_Blossom on the tree, you know how I feel_

_It's a new dawn; It's a new day; It's a new life for me and I'm feeling good_

She leaned back into the crook of his arm and closed her eyes voluntarily this time, letting the sound of the storm, the music and the feel of him rush over her and take her to a different place.

_Dragonfly out in the sun, you know what I mean, don't you know_

_Butterfly having fun, you know what I mean_

_Sleep in peace when day is done, that's what I mean_

_And this old world is a new world and a bold world for me_

_Stars when you shine, you know how I feel_

_Scent of the pine, you know how I feel_

_Oh, freedom is mine and I know how I feel_

_It's a new dawn; It's a new day; It's a new life for me and I'm feeling good._

" Wow," She breathed quietly as the song finished. " This is..." She stumbled, for once at a loss for words.

He chuckled as he let his fingers run through her hair. " Now that is something. I can't believe it."

She shifted so she could see his smirk. " What ?"

" You, speechless. I never thought I'd see the day." He laughed as she elbowed him in the side. "Must you always be so violent ?"

" Only when I'm around you. Usually I'm a pacifist." She turned her body towards his and leaned in close to him. " I guess there's something about you that inspires violence in me."

He rolled his eyes at her. " Oh, lucky me. Is that the only tendency I inspire in you ?" He asked just a whisper from her lips.

She let her fingers trail from his shoulder to the middle of his chest. " Not always." She murmured.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N - just wanted to say that of course I don't own the beatles and since I forgot in the last chapter, I don't own Nina Simone either. Or 10 things I hate about you, for that matter. Though owning Ethan Peck would be a joy beyond measure. And about the tasteless Beatles comment - Patrick's disclaimer goes ditto for me. **

It hadn't been about seducing her. That wasn't his plan when he brought her here. It was about taking her mind off everything. But as he looked around he saw that the whole thing could have easily been misconstrued as a seduction and he was very glad, as he laid back on the blanket listening to the storm outside and the Beatles drifting from the laptop with Kat curled into his side, her head resting in the crook of his arm, that she hadn't taken the whole thing the wrong way.

Maybe they were getting somewhere. And maybe it was time to tell her that. He had to admit that he felt a little guilty for stinging her along for so long while keeping her at arm's length. It was his way. He had his reasons. People could hurt you far more easily when they knew they meant something to you. It was a simple fact, one he had learned the hard way. Keeping everything casual was the best way of avoiding that.

Still it was becoming undeniable that the girl laying next to him meant something to him. A lot of something. And he accused her of being obsessed.

She shifted, turning her face upwards so that she could see his.

" Thank you for all this." She whispered quietly.

" You don't have to thank me. I'm glad I helped." He answered holding her just a little tighter.

She sat up beside him and tugged his leather jacket a little closer to her body. " I don't want to fight with you, especially not after, " She gestured around her at the food and the fire and the laptop "But..."

He sat up as well and eyed her carefully. " But what ? If you don't want to fight, it's easy. Just don't. Whatever it is you want to say, can't it wait until tomorrow if you think it might start a fight ?"

She tugged her hair behind her ear. It was a habit that he was getting very used to. " See, that's the problem. This conversation keeps waiting. I keep putting it off and I don't want to anymore. It's time we talked about this."

He sighed, thinking that maybe she hadn't let the whole seduction thing go like he thought she had.

" I didn't bring you here to get you to have sex with me. That wasn't the point of all this."

Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment. " What ? I know that." She glanced around her and suddenly didn't look so sure. " At least I think I know that. That's not what I'm talking about."

" Then what 'this' do you want to talk about ?" He folded his arms over his chest and eyed her suspiciously.

" We need to talk about us, about this thing we're doing. I don't even know what to call it." She began and he could feel a nice long tirade coming on so he unfolded his arms and put them behind him. Leaning back on them and getting comfortable, he decided to just let her go for a while at least even though he was a little shocked that she had seemingly read his mind. " Are we dating ? Are you my boyfriend ? Is that what I call you when I introduce you to people ? And if it isn't then what are we ? Are we just friends, because I'm friends with Mandela and I don't ever let her put her tongue down my throat. I just want some clarification. What if someone else came along ? Are we exclusive ? Are you seeing anyone else ?"

Finally he stopped her by leaning forward and putting his hand on her arm. " Alright, enough. I get it. You want to know where we stand."

She nodded decisively. " Exactly."

He sighed again. " I still don't understand why its necessary to label everything like that -" He began, but she cut him off before he could finish.

" It's important because I'm confused and I really hate being confused." She interjected.

" Let me finish." He told her with a warning look. " How bout this ? How about you tell me what you think is going on here and I'll tell you if I agree."

She rolled her eyes and chuckled in a completely non humorous way. " So that way, I get to put myself out there and you take no risk whatsoever."

" That wasn't what I was thinking. I think we both know what this is." He said.

" I think this is a date." She told him finally. " And it isn't our first. I think we've been dating for a while now."

He nodded reluctantly. " Alright. I guess that's true."

" I think everyone I know assumes you're my boyfriend and I'm finding myself less and less inclined to tell them they're wrong lately." She ventured carefully.

" Okay, I can see that too."

" Could you be any more vague ? Is that alright with you, that people assume you're my boyfriend ? Do you let people assume I'm your girlfriend ? Am I your girlfriend ?"

He smirked, unable to keep himself from tweaking her buttons just a tad. " You are a girl and you're my friend, at least most of the time, so no I don't correct them when they make that assumption."

Her eyes sparked with anger and she let out a frustrated growl. " Patrick !" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. " I'm kinda going out on a limb here. Join me, there's plenty of room and I'm pretty sure it's sturdy enough not to break."

" You're pretty sure? Sounds a little dangerous." He chuckled. " I'd hate to fall."

Her arms fell to her side and she looked down at her legs folded in front of her. " I'm pretty sure I already have. What I need to know is, have you ?"

There was suddenly so much vulnerability in her face that he couldn't help but scoot closer to her and enfold her in his arms. She felt fragile as she melted into him and he mentally kicked himself for teasing her. He could be such an ass sometimes.

" Kat." He whispered as he smoothed her hair. " I'm sorry. I shouldn't have teased you."

She pushed away from him forcefully and got quickly to her feet. " No, you shouldn't have." She said stepping away from him.

He wanted to tell her that, of course, he had fallen for her. That had happened months ago. She was just about all he thought about. He wanted to say that yes, she was is girlfriend, that he wasn't dating anyone else and he didn't have any intention of it. He needed her to know that he couldn't even imagine what it would feel like to find out she was dating someone else. He wanted to tell her that he thought he might be in love with her. But none of those words came even as he tried to force them past her lips. Something inside him seemed to shut down before he had a chance to confess, as if some internal defense mechanism had gone into override mode and he was helpless to bypass it.

She stood staring down at him with her arms crossed, her hip jutting out and an expectant look on her face. After a few moments of nothing from him, she dropped her arms and eyed him coldly.

He wanted to jump to his feet and take her in her arms and tell her everything he felt for her. He didn't want to fight with her.

The laptop droned on to the Beatles Hello Goodbye, until it finally faded out and was suddenly replaced by something that caused him to pay attention to it instead of her angry face.

_Hey Jude, don't make it bad_

_Take a sad song and make it better_

_Remember to let her into your heart _

_then you can start to make it better_

The words echoed through the small cavern and he found himself staring at the laptop as if Paul McCartney were actually inside it singing those words directly to him.

_Hey Jude, don't be afraid_

_You were made to go out and get her_

_The minute you let her under your skin_

_Then you begin to make it better_

Kat opened her mouth to speak but stop herself as she let her gaze follow his to see what he was finding so interesting.

_And any time you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain_

_Don't carry the world upon your shoulders._

_For well you know, that's it a fool who plays it cool _

_By making his world a little colder._

She watched him closely. He could feel her eyes on him, never faltering as he let the words of the song sink into his brain. As if she somehow understood from the look on his face that there was an epiphany forming in his brain, she stayed silent and let him work out his thoughts on his own.

_Hey Jude, don't let me down._

_You have found her, now go and get her._

_Remember to let her into your heart,_

_Then you can start to make it better._

It was his father's favorite song. Always had been. When he thought of his Dad that song was one of the specific things he remembered about him. And now it seemed like he was reaching out to him from where ever he was, trying to guide him in the right direction, advise him somehow.

_So let it out and let it in, Hey Jude begin._

_You're waiting for someone to preform with._

_And don't you know that it's just you, Hey Jude, you'll do._

_The movement you need is on your shoulder._

He got the message loud and clear. He didn't want to lose her and if he didn't act fast, that was exactly what was going to happen. He needed to tell her. She had put herself out there for him. Now it was his turn. He got slowly to his feet and sauntered over to where she was standing, still with her arms crossed and a look of anger etched over her features.

_Hey Jude, don't make it bad._

_Take a sad song and make it better._

_Remember to let her under your skin, _

_Then you begin to make it better._

_Better, better, better, better, better, better, yeah_

_Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na Hey Jude._

" I know I'm terrible at this." He began as he came to stand so close his chest brushed against her arms as he took each deep, stabilizing breath. " And I don't think that's ever going to change."

" I don't need it to change." She answered. " I know you aren't a great sharer. Neither am I. But sometimes it's what it takes."

He nodded. " I think I fell for you the day I almost crashed into your car door." He stated in a rush as if pausing would cause that defense mechanism to kick in again. " It's only gotten worse since then."

He watched as the anger on her face turned immediately into a smile and he took a huge breath in relief. He felt as if he had just lived through something terrible was grateful that he came out the other side unscathed.

" That wasn't so hard, now was it ?" She teased as her arms came around his neck.

"It was torture." He smiled. " But I'm glad I said it."

She let her eyes fall to the computer and smiled serenely at it. " And the Beatles helped. That's so sweet. Maybe we should them a thank you card."

He laughed, " What's left of them."

She drew back and punched his arm, spinning out of his embrace with outrage on her face. " That's a horrible thing to say. John Lennon and George Harrison were great men. Do not belittle them by making jokes about their deaths."

He held up his hands in defense. " I'm sorry. I didn't know you three were close."

She slapped him again.

" Okay, it was a truly tasteless joke and I take it back completely. I meant no disrespect for Mr. Lennon or Mr. Harrison or any other member of the band for that matter." He disclaimed quickly. " The comment was meant with the best of intentions and shouldn't be taken to heart or treated as if it really reflects the view of the speaker."

She laughed out loud at his speech and came back into his arms. " You should think about going into politics that was some speedy backpedaling you just maneuvered."

" Are you sure it wasn't just a load of manure ?" He smirked.

She looked at him for a moment. " No, I think it was meant sincerely. I don't think you have any ill feelings towards George Harrison or John Lennon."

He sighed and gave her a self congratulatory smile. " Damn, I am good."

" Stop." She smacked him yet again.

" Yet again with all the violence. What happened to the pacifist you're supposed to be ?" He winced as her fist came into contact with his bicep.

" I told you, you inspire me." She answered smugly.

He leaned down to kiss her but she pulled away before his lips met hers. " What ?" He asked, not wanting to talk anymore.

" You haven't really answered my questions yet. Did you think I'd forget about them just like that ?"

" What questions ?" He sighed in frustration.

" Are you my boyfriend ? And don't give me any of that runaround crap this time or I'll hit you again and this time I won't do it playfully."

The look in her eyes said she was being completely honest and he winced inwardly at the thought. There were times, even when she was playing that her punches hurt like hell. He hated to think about how much pain she could inflict if she were trying. " I guess I qualify as your boyfriend, if you really feel like you have to label me like that."

" I do and so do you if you expect that this is ever going to go any further." She answered solemnly.

" Then yes, for God's sake, yes. I am your boyfriend." He repeated, dramatically, before leaning into her again. But she pulled back once more and he huffed at her impatiently.  
"I'm not done. Are you seeing anyone else ?"

He rolled his eyes again. " Have you seen me with anyone else ?"

" Well no, but that doesn't mean anything. I'm not with you all the time."

He tugged her into him and held her tightly. " I'm not seeing anyone else, nor do I want to, nor have I in a really long time. Are you ?" He raised his eyebrow and there was a part of him, albeit a small part, since he was pretty sure he already knew the answer, that braced for her answer.

She shook her head. " I haven't seen anyone but you since I moved here."

" Good." He took a breath of relief. " Now it's your turn."

" You want to ask me questions about my feelings ?" She smirked.

" No, I think I've had enough of that particular topic for now." He pulled her against him, letting his hands cover her back and his hips brush into her stomach. " I want to know that this conversation isn't going to change things."

She shrugged, but it was half-hearted because of his close proximity. " Why would it ?"

" Because now this is a thing. It isn't the same. We aren't just enjoying hanging out together." He tried to explain. " This is a relationship now. Now there are expectations and responsibilities."

" Patrick, I've never expected anything from you and talking about how we feel doesn't change that. I don't require anything from you other than you being yourself. You know that, right ?" She asked, all humor suddenly gone from the room.

His arms flexed around her. " You say that now. But what happens the first time I accidentally forget your birthday or get busy and don't call you for a day ? Will you still not be expecting anything from me ?"

She smiled as she reached up to brush a strand of hair from his forehead. " I can promise you that I won't let you forget my birthday. So no worries there. And I don't expect you to attach yourself to my hip simply because we like each other."

" Is that what you call this, liking each other ?" He smiled this time.

" Okay, maybe that's an understatement. But it's as far as I'm willing to go for now. How about deeply like ? How about we agree that we are deeply in like with each other ?"

He found her grinning lips with his and kissed her soundly. " I like that." He nodded when he finally pulled away. " I'm deeply in like with you."

" I'm deeply in like with you, too." she answered as she pulled him back down for another kiss.


	7. Chapter 7

Her father still wasn't home when she got in. A note on the kitchen table told told her that he was having a difficult delivery and probably wouldn't be in until after midnight. Bianca was making noise upstairs blaring Lady Gag-Me at a volume that made her head throb. She was so tired. It had been a long, eventful day. Tossing her backpack on the corner of the couch, she trudged up the stair as the beginning of her normal funk around this time of year started to set in. Patrick had done wonders at keeping it at bay for as long as he had, but he couldn't be with her all the time. Eventually they had to come up for air.

She let out a heavy sigh as she pushed her door open, came inside her bedroom and closed it behind her once again. The lock gave a reassuring click as it slid into place. Throwing the jacket she hadn't realized she'd kept over the back of her desk chair caused her to smile whimsically. It had been a good day. She let a warmth spread through her at the memory of all he had done for her. She hadn't expected him to go through all the trouble he had.

She tugged off her clothes and threw on her pajamas, a blue tank top that might have been Bianca's because it barely covered her breasts and left her stomach area completely exposed and a pair of worn blue plaid pajama bottoms that came to her mid calf and hugged her tightly. She decided that a morning shower was a better plan. She wasn't in the mood for it at the moment. She wasn't in the mood for much of anything. Which is why the soft knock at her door annoyed her more than anything.

She huffed and went to unlock it and let Bianca in.

" I thought I heard you come in." Her younger sister said and she went to Kat's bed and sat down on the side of it.

" Yeah, just now." Kat nodded and did her best to hide the frustration from her face.

" Can you talk for a minute ?" Bianca asked timidly under lowered lashes and Kat was helpless to do anything but come to her side and plop down next to her.

" What's up ?"

" Joey." She said vaguely.

" Care to elaborate ?" Kat prompted.

" Are you happy ?" Bianca asked out of the blue " I mean with Patrick ? Are you happy ?" She rolled her eyes. " And please don't start with all the ' I'm not with Patrick.' We both know it's crap."

" I wasn't going to actually." Kat attempted to hide the smile that was threatening to take over her face.

" Finally." The blond muttered as she leaned back with her hands behind her. " Is that where you've been all evening ?"

" Maybe." Kat ducked behind a curtain of her hair.

" And that was who you were arguing with at three this morning ?"

" Maybe." She repeated.

" That's great. I like him. Scary, but then so are you, so it kinda fits."

" I'm not scary." Kat protested.

Bianca sighed. " Yes, you are. But I'm not here to talk about your public image. I need your advice."

" I'll do my best." Kat nodded.

" First answer my question. Are you happy ?"

" Yes." She nodded decisively. " I am very happy."

" Good. I'm glad."

" So what's the problem with Joey ?"

Bianca shifted, crawling up to the headboard of Kat's bed, snatching her pillow to her chest and tucking her legs under her. It was very reminiscent of a fetal position and Kat wasn't at all sure she liked seeing her sister in such a position. She looked small and vulnerable, hurt and confused. Whatever Joey had done to her, Kat intended to make sure he answered for it.

" What is it ?" Kat asked, moving to Bianca's side and putting a hand over hers.

" He didn't show up this afternoon." Bianca answered finally in quiet voice. " I told him about Mom. I told him I needed him today and he didn't show up." She huffed. " I know this is stupid. I shouldn't be this upset about this. I'm not the center of the universe. But sometimes its like he forgets other people insist in the world beyond him. He's so...." She paused to search for the word. Kat watched her for a minute before deciding to throw her a bone and help her out.

" Self absorbed." She supplied.

" Exactly." Bianca nodded. " I bet he doesn't even remember that I told him I needed him to come over today."

" You didn't call him ?" Kat moved a strand of hair from her face.

" He lost his phone yesterday." She mumbled dejectedly.

" You didn't call me ?" She asked.

Her sister huffed again. " No, I knew you were off trying to have a good time and I didn't want to ruin it with my whining. Today has always been harder on you. You remember her better than I do."

" I would have gladly come home so you wouldn't have been alone." She told her in all sincerity.

" I know." She nodded. " But I wasn't alone. I called Cameron and he came over for a while and we watched Project Runway. It was nice." She shifted and looked up at Kat. " My question is, should I really be this upset that he forgot ? I mean really it isn't that big of a deal. I got along okay without him."

" God, I admire your great gift to rationalize." Kat muttered as she got to her feet. Anger at Joey bubbled in her chest. Of course Bianca should be angry. If she was important to him, like he claims, he would have been here for her. She started pacing but stopped when her eye caught the jacket on the back of her chair. She turned her gaze from it to her sister and let out a deep breath.

" Do you know what I did after school today ?"

Bianca nodded in the negative.

" Well, first off, my boyfriend-" She nearly giggled again at the word. " broke in here last night so he could stay with me because he knew I was upset and didn't want to be alone. Then today, because he knew I was upset and I would need him, he skipped class so he could arrange an elaborate picnic at the beach complete with my favorite things to eat and my favorite music."

She planted her hands on her hips and looked at her sister expectantly.

" That's so sweet." Bianca told her sitting up.

" Yes it was. It was the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me. But that isn't my point." Kat told her coming back to sit beside her again. " My point is he made an effort. He went through a lot of trouble actually. And you deserve someone that is willing to do the same for you, Bianca."

She saw tears brimming in the blue eyes that stared back at her.

" Don't settle just because he has a pretty face. It'll fade. Pretty doesn't last."

Bianca batted at her suddenly wet cheeks and mustered up a smile. " Patrick's pretty."

Kat smiled back and her eyes caught some movement outside her window. He was standing there, listening to them. " Yes, but I'm not with him because he's pretty. I just got the bonus package. Not everyone can be as lucky as me."

Bianca looked at her for a moment before following her gaze to the window. " Oh," She smiled. " So when is he going to start paying rent here ? Didn't he just drop you off like half an hour ago ?"

" He isn't staying." Kat grinned towards the window but made no move to get up and open it. Instead she held up her finger at him, telling him she needed a minute with her sister.

He nodded in response and disappeared out of view.

" So what are you saying ? Do you think I should break up with Joey ?" Bianca asked as she started to get up and give her sister some time with her boyfriend.

Kat grabbed her hand to stop her. " What did you do this afternoon ?"

" I told you. "Bianca answered, confused. " I spent the afternoon with Cameron, watching T.V.."

" Did you have a good time ?" Kat continued.

" Sure. I always have a good time with Cameron."

Kat gave her an exasperated look but Bianca just blinked at her, clearly not understanding what she was trying to say. " Do you always have a good time with Joey ?"

The younger girl sighed. " Most of the time."

" How often is most of the time ?"

" Well, it's not like I have a bad time with him. I just wish..." She broke off as if trying to find the right words. " I wish sometimes we could do the things I want to do. Usually I just let him make all the plans. "

" Have you told him that ?" Kat asked.

" No, we don't really talk like that."

" Who do you talk to about things like that ?" Kat continued on, determined to let her sister work this problem out on her own with minimal prompting from her.

" Cam-" She stopped in the middle of saying his name and it was like a light bulb literally went off over her head suddenly.

Kat nodded in response.

" I have to make a phone call." She said, jumping from the bed suddenly. Then she stopped and came back to Kat, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. " Thank you."

" My pleasure. Any time." Kat whispered as she hugged her back.

" Don't forget Romeo is outside your window." she said as she pulled away and went to the door.

" Let him wait. It's good for him." Kat teased as her eyes found the window.

He smirked at her in response, letting her know that he'd heard her.

She went to the door and locked it behind her sister before going to the window.

" Didn't I say that you weren't required to attach yourself to my hip just because we talked ?" She said upon opening the window.

" I couldn't help it. I missed you." He said. " Don't I even get a hello ?"

She went to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as his lips found hers and she couldn't help the smile that spread over her face.

" I came for my jacket." He announced as he let her go.

" I planned on bringing it to you tomorrow at school. You didn't have to come all the way back here for it." She smiled as she flopped down on her bed.

He sighed and jammed his hands in his pockets a little roughly. " Okay, so maybe I'm here for more than just my jacket."

" Really ? Was there something pressing we needed to discuss ?" She smirked.

His eyes scanned her as she laid out over her mattress and stretched. She had never been very good at this. It wasn't something she was comfortable with. Enticing and sexy weren't items on her list of virtues. And when she saw him standing at her window, she hadn't been thinking about getting him to stay. They had been together nearly unstop for over twenty four hours now. It was time for a break. But all her good intentions went straight out the window the minute he came through it.

He was standing in front of her in a pair of faded blue jeans that had definitely seen better days. The denim was worn and ripped in more than one place. A particularly alluring place being a wide tear across his left thigh. She had found herself staring at that rip all afternoon. It was large enough that she could make out the skin beneath it, complete with the dark covering of hair that, no doubt decorated the entire bottom half of him. Speaking of covering of dark hair, her eyes traveled up the expanse of his long torso, taking special interest in the way the jeans set low on his hips and how his dingy, white wife beater hugged to his body. Somewhere between dropping her off and scaling her house he had lost the brown t-shirt that he wore earlier. Now the thin,white, sleeveless shirt was all that hid the perfectly sculpted muscles of his chest. Dark, curly hair peak out over the top of the shirt and she followed the neckline of it with her eyes. She paused for a moment to appreciate the bulging of his biceps as he moved his hands out of his pockets and rested them on his hips instead.

The new pose caused her to refocus her vision and look up to his face.

_Wow_, she thought to herself, _Bianca is right, he really is pretty_.

She smiled at the way his head was cocked to the side and his mouth was forming a lopsided, casual smile. It wasn't until she got to his eyes that she realized he was watching her, watching him and enjoying it far too much.

He raised his hands out to the side as if in submission of her inspection and his smile turned from lazy to devious as he lowered his voice even more than its normal bass timbre. " Are you planning on buying something or just browsing ?"

He was playing with her and it should have irritated her that he had caught her staring so scandalously, but instead of irritation her mind and body were preoccupied by the pooling of heat in the pit of her stomach.

Deciding that she couldn't possibly let him win like that. The cocky grin on his face, while sexy in way she had only seen before in movies, was more than she could take. She laid back on the bed, shifting to her back and stretching again. Before turning back to her side and letting her hair fall over her shoulder while she propped her head up in her hand.

" I was hoping you had new material. But since you don't, I guess I'm just browsing." She lowered her eyes and batted her lashes at him.

He nodded. " So, you're after new material now. You're bored with the old stuff ?"

He hadn't moved, hadn't came to her like she was expecting him to, he just dropped his hands back to his sides and continued to eye her.

" Well," She shrugged. " You know, it's important to keep things interesting. New toys are nice. It's hard to keep the old ones from getting stale after a while."

He raised his eyebrows at her and chuckled, another thing that caused something low in her body to twitch uncontrollably. " I would hate for you to get bored with your old toys." He said and took a step closer to her. Then his hands moved from his hips to the waistband of his jeans. Long, nimble fingers tangled in the white material of his shirt and he lifted it ever so slowly over his stomach, past his pecks and over his head, letting it fall to the floor at his feet with a silent flutter. Then he quirked his eyebrow at her. " Better ?"

Kat's eyes followed the shirt's journey as if she were helpless to do anything else. The entire world stopped rotating as her gaze traveled the length of his body, mesmerized by every new inch of his flesh that he revealed. A muscle in his side twitched causing the skin there to flex and she wasn't sure if he had done it on purpose or if it was in involuntary reaction, but she did know, she was spellbound by it.

Unable to do anything more than stare, she prayed that he wouldn't say something that required any witty banter from her because she knew she had no hope of supplying any at the moment.

" Kat," He whispered taking another step closer to the bed. " What has gotten into you ? Are you okay ? Have you been drinking ?"

His brow was furrowed in what appeared to be genuine concern she noticed when she finally pulled her eyes from his chest to his face.

Swallowing hard to rid herself of the sudden build up of drool in her mouth, she shook her head as if physically pulling herself back from where ever she had disappeared to. " I'm fine. And no I haven't been drinking. I was with you all day. I'm sure you would have noticed if I was hitting the sauce."

He shrugged and again it took everything in her power not to fixate on the way his shoulder muscles flexed with the movement.

What the hell was wrong with her ? She knew she wanted him, that been a given for months now. She knew it was becoming more and more obvious as the days passed as well. But her reaction now was definitely out of the ordinary. Her attention landed on his hand which was resting back at his hip and all she could think about was his fingers sliding over her skin.

" You seem a little off." He commented.

" I'm not off." She countered. " I'm just distracted. It's been a long day."

He snatched his shirt from the floor and balled it into his hand. Then he grabbed the jacket from the chair before turning back to her. " Maybe I should go and let you get some sleep. Clearly you're in need of it." He gave her a smile.

She sat up quickly, causing him to pause in the process of opening the window. He turned back to her and looked expectant.

" Don't go." She told him, coming to him and taking the jacket from his hand. She gave it a fling and it landed right back where it had started. Then she turned to him and took his hand in hers. " I don't want you to go."

He sighed and looked down at her hand which was now caressing his thumb slowly. " I shouldn't. This is not a good idea."

" Why not ? You stayed last night." She blinked at him in what she hoped was innocence.

" Last night wasn't about me staying. It was about you not being alone. This," He put his gaze back on their joined hands. " isn't the same thing."

She dropped his hand and stepped away from him quickly. " It's okay." Her voice was small and full of hurt but she did everything she could to hide it from him. " You don't have to stay. I just thought you might want to."

Apparently she failed miserably because he closed the distance between them again. His arms came around her and her breath stuttered when his bare skin contacted her exposed stomach. " You have no idea how much I want to stay, which is exactly why I have to go." He whispered into her hair as his lips brushed across her ear.

Her hand came up to the side of his face and he leaned into her touch. " But I'm telling you I don't want you to go."

He smiled. " This could get out of hand fast." He glanced down her body before coming back to her face. " I'm only human."

Kat pushed herself into him and dragged her arm from his cheek to the nape of his neck. " It's okay." She had never been so nervous in her life. She had no idea where all this was coming from, but suddenly being with him, really being with him felt like the most important thing in the world to her. Her entire body felt like it was pulsing to the rhythm of her rapidly beating heart. Everything faded from her view and her mind besides him.

He put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back, gently yet with a firmness that she was helpless to fight against.

Her eyes fell to the floor and she shrugged out of his hold and went back to the bed. " Fine I get it. Go."

He came to stand in front of her, hands on his hips and a suspicious look on his face. " What exactly is it that you get ?"

She turned her face from his using every bit of will power inside her not to bury her face in her hands. Instead she folded her arms over her chest and stared at her lap. " You don't want to do this."

He huffed and pulled his hands through his hair in frustration. " What I don't want to do is wake up next to you tomorrow and see the buyer's remorse on your face." He announced. " Have you thought about this, really thought about it ? Because I know you, if you haven't examined this decision from every different angle and turned it around and around in your head five hundred times, you'll regret it."

She got up and began to pace. " Maybe, just maybe I'm tired of living my life in a succession of carefully planned steps. Maybe just this once I wanted to do something spontaneous and out of control."

" Then buy a pair of shoes you can't really afford, steal a pack of gum from the store, or sneak into a theater without paying, but don't do this." He told her, very nearly shouting. " Don't use me-" he paused and took a deep breath, " Don't use our relationship," the word sounded forced and unnatural as he pushed it from his lips, " as a pawn in your need to rebel or whatever this is."

" I thought you'd be happy about this. It's what you want, right ? You've been telling me that for months. Or has it all been just harmless flirting for you ? Is this your way of telling me you don't really want me as much as you claim to want me ?"

The anger suddenly drained from him completely and his shoulders slumped with it's leaving. He came to her and wrapped her in his arms. " I want you so bad I can't breath sometimes." He said quietly as if the words themselves were painful. " You have no idea what you do to me."

" Tell me." She whispered looking up at him.

He rolled his eyes. " Do we really have to do this ? I thought we just went over all this in the cave."

" We didn't talk about this. We haven't ever really talked about this." She answered.

His arm tightened around her perceptively and he began to lead them over to her bed. Once there he sat her down. Then he went to the door, checking the lock and flipping off the light. Next he sat at the foot of the bed and removed his boots before crawling up beside her and stretching his long form out. Finally, he pulled her into his side.

" I thought this was a bad idea." She told him, nuzzling into his shoulder.

" It is." He replied. " Probably the worst idea either of us has had in a long time. But if you want to talk about this," He laid a kiss to her forehead. " We'll talk."

" You obviously don't want to talk about this. So why are you doing it ?"

He sighed loudly and pulled her tighter with the hand that was around her waist. " Because it's what you want and I want you to be happy."

" I want you to be happy, too." She said after a long moment of silence. " Maybe that's what all this is about."

He smiled and kissed her again. " I appreciate that you're giving me the green light here. But I want to know that I'm getting the 'go ahead' for the right reasons."

" Why does it matter what my reasons are ? I'm telling you I want to do this. You're a guy. Isn't that enough ?"

He nodded and gave a little laugh. " With anyone else, yes."

She shifted, raising her head so she could see his face. " What makes me so different ?"

" Ugh!" He exclaimed suddenly as he raked his hand through his hair once again. " Why are you making this so hard ? You know very well why you're different. Do we really have to go through all this ?"

She dropped her head back to his shoulder. " Because I need to know so I can examine this from all the different angles and turn it around in my head five hundred times."

He smiled and gave her a resigned nod. " I guess that sounds much more like you."

" Right. I need all the information so I can make a sound, fact based decision." She told him decisively. " And if sex is one of the possible end results, isn't it worth the effort ?"

He rolled quickly to his side and grabbed her to him, kissing the rest of whatever she had to say from her lips. He let his hands trail up her sides, pausing before they reached her breast as his mouth trailed away from her lips and down the column of her throat. She forgot whatever it was she was trying to say, letting one of her hands fist into his hair and the other slid over his bare back. Something spasmed inside her as his muscles bunched around her wandering hand. Then he was pulling her in tighter, bringing her lower body firmly against his and she gasped at the feel of him pressing firmly into her abdomen.

" That is what you do to me. All the time." He whispered, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke.

" All the time ?" She asked, still reeling from the feel of him so rigid against her. Most of the time he tried his best to hide it from her, whether out of embarrassment or a need to not feel like he was pushing her. Whatever the cause, he had never brought that particular reaction to her attention that way.

" All the time." He replied. " Whenever you're around, no matter what we're doing, who's with us, whatever. It's almost always there." His words were still caressing her ear and causing her insides to tighten at the same time.

" How did I not notice ?" She almost giggled again but this time she manage to fight it off successfully.

" I'm very good at hiding it. If not ' Sponk' would be my nickname instead of Cameron's."

She laughed out loud and snuggled in closer to him eliciting a groan in response.

He pulled his lips from her ear and let out a long breath. " God, you are evil, woman." He shifted pulling himself away from her a bit and giving himself room to breath, which he was doing in purposefully deep, even pulls. " That is why this isn't a good idea. I've been fighting that for months now and it just keeps getting harder by the day."

" No pun intended." She teased with a laugh at her own joke.

" That was terrible." He told her still trying to rein himself in and rolling to his back. " Maybe the worst joke I've ever heard you make."

" I'm sorry." She conceded. She stared down at him as her finger involuntarily began making designs on his chest. It trailed through the hair there, slowly exploring him.

Suddenly his hand came up and rested over hers, stopping her progress. " That is not helping."

She nestled her entire body into his side, flinging one of her legs over is and leaned forward bringing her face just inches from his. " What if I'm not trying to help ?"

" Kat," He groaned and closed his eyes while swallowing so hard his Adam's apple bobbed.

Her gaze fixated on it, watching it move and wanting so badly to feel it under her tongue. Suddenly she realized that the feeling inside her had gone beyond wanting. She could handle wanting something and not having it. No, whatever was happening to her, it had somehow shifted from want to need. She needed him, needed to feeling him under her hands, needed him to touch her, needed to kiss him, to taste him.

" Patrick," She whispered an instant before she leaned up and did exactly what she felt like she needed to do. Her tongue slid up the side of throat, bumping over the stubble there and making it burn in a deliciously decadent way. His hand tighten where it was still wrapped around her waist and it was almost painful where his fingers dug into her skin. " Patrick," She murmured right before she let her lips cover his bobbing Adam's apple and she began to suck on it, softly at first, then harder as she gauged his reaction. His heel dug into the mattress and she watched as his hips bucked almost imperceptibly into the air.

Her fingers slid over his shoulder, tracing the line of his collarbone and her tongue followed quickly in its wake, tasting the salty, tangy, sweetness of his skin and hoping that she never forgot it's flavor.

" Kat," She heard him say again and this time his tone was nearly pained. She ignored him, letting her mouth glide over the curve of his shoulder and come back up to his throat again. She didn't stop this time, instead letting her tongue move up its side, over his jaw line and to the place right below his ear. She delved her tongue into the hollow there for a moment before taking his earlobe into her mouth and grazing it gently with her teeth.

He let out a sharp hiss and suddenly he was no longer beside her, having launched himself to the other side of the bed, hugging the wall tightly. " Stop." He uttered breathlessly.

Blinking at him as she tried to hide the desperate longing and utter disappoint of his withdraw from him, she moved, sitting up quickly.

" What are you trying to do to me ?" He demanded a tough roughly as he yanked his hand through his hair and tried to still his panting breath.

She rolled her eyes before letting them land on the part of the bed separating them. " I thought that was pretty obvious."

He rubbed his hand along his thigh and took another deep cleansing breath. " Yeah, it is. I need to know why."

She shrugged. " I want you, you want me. Felt like the right time, certainly the right place." She muttered refusing to look at him. " You really are being such a girl about this."

He chuckled. " Did you just stereotype women so blatantly ? Was that really you ?"

She sighed heavily. " You're right. I can't believe I just said that. I'm sorry. But you are being a pain in the ass."

" I just need to know this is what you really want. Are you ready for this ?" He asked, shifting so that he was closer to her.

She nodded. " Yes, I am. Are you ready for this ?"

He didn't answer for a long moment and she glanced at him to try to read his expression. What she saw looking back at her was breath-stealing. His eyes were dark, hooded and shadowed by his long lashes. They were watching her so closely and intently it caused goosebumps to break out on her flesh. His hands were fisted, resting in his lap but there was a slight tremble to them, as if it was taking everything in him to keep them where they were. His breath was still ragged causing his chest to move rapidly as he fought for each breath. A rosy flush covered him giving his skin a pleasant glow.

The tip of his pink tongue sneaked out and he used it to wet his lips. Her eyes were drawn there and she was unable to keep herself from staring at his mouth as he spoke. " I've been ready for this for months. It's never been about me being ready."

" Then why are you making this so difficult ?" She asked.

" Because there are consequences." He told her.

She laughed and rolled her eyes at him. " Are you serious ? We don't need to have this discussion. Haven't you met my father ? You know very well I am perfectly informed about the consequences."

He laughed with her. " I wasn't talking about those consequences. We both know all about those. I mean that sex changes things. Things between us will never be the same after this. Have you considered that ? Are you okay with that ?"

She shifted moving so that she was directly in front of him and took his hands in hers. " I know things will change. I get that. But I also know things already have changed. Today in the cave made things different. This just seems like the next logical step."

He chuckled. " Well, as long as you've come to the logical conclusion." He mocked.

She snatched her hands back from his and folded them over her chest. " Don't mock. I'm taking this seriously. I'm not making this decision on a whim."

" What about your father ?" He asked, though his body had somehow moved a little closer to hers without her even noticing him shift.

" I already know what his opinion of this would be." She smiled.

" I was asking if you really wanted to try this with him just down the hall. Seems a little risky to me." He explained.

She raised her hand and let a finger trail from his shoulder to his elbow, slowly, watching as it bumped over his muscles enticingly. " He's at work until late. Note said after midnight."

His eyebrows raised towards his forehead slightly. " Bianca ?" He was whispering now and leaning in closer to her inch by inch.

" Busy trying to decide if Cameron James might be her Prince Charming instead of the idiot." She told him with her eyes fixated on his lips.

" Really ? How did that happen ?" Patrick laughed suddenly.

She grabbed his head and pulled his down to her lips. " Later." She murmured before covering them with hers.

She felt herself being moved, his hands at her waist adjusting her like he wanted her and she let him without protest. At the moment, with his lips on hers and his hands on her skin, she was putty anyway. She quickly understood what he was trying to do and helped him, shifting with him until they were laying side by side on the bed. They made the move without ever breaking contact with each others lips.

When he did pull away, he smoothed her hair from her face and looked down at her. " I want it noted that I did everything in my power to make sure this is what you really want." He said, resting his forehead against hers for a moment.

" Noted. Now kiss me." She answered before yanking him back to her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Note - I was going to keep this story at a descent PG-13 level, but since so many of you asked, I've changed the rating and given you want you wanted, because that's what I do. So in an effort to make my fans happy, ( you all are the reason I do this after all), here it is. For all of you that would rather it stay PG-13, skip chapters 8 and 9. They are not for children. Adult content ahead. I repeat - ADULT CONTENT AHEAD. you have been warned and I hope you all enjoy. **

" Kat," His voice was nothing more than a whisper in the darkness as he pulled away from her lips and tried to untangle himself, at least a little from her arms. " Hang on."

She was arching into him, driving him crazy by pressing her breasts into his side as she continue to nip at the tender skin on his throat. Her lips brushed over the place she'd just bite and his breath caught in his chest.

"Wait." He whispered again, using every ounce of strength inside of him to push her away gently.

" I thought we were done talking." She nearly whined as she fought against his arms, trying to get close to him again.

" I need to tell you something first. It's important." He told her, shifting so that he was no long flush against her.

She took a deep breath and slid her hand from around his neck to his shoulder as she blinked at him in the near darkness. " Okay, what is it ?"

He expanded his lungs as far as he could, drawing in a fresh supply of cleansing oxygen and exhaling slowly. It was an attempt to steady his shaking hands and his racing heart. It didn't accomplish either.

Her hand moved again, cupping his cheek this time and he leaned his head into her touch, feeling a sudden surge of strength from the intimate gesture. " I've never done this before." He blurted out quickly before losing his nerve and his resolve to stay out of her arms.

" What ?" She chuckled quietly. " What are you talking about ?"

His shoulder shifted in an attempt at a shrug. " I've never done this before." He repeated, sounding a touch more confident this time. He knew his confession was bound to surprise her. It was the reaction after the surprise that had him worried.

Her eyes widened and she searched his face to try and gauge whether or not he was just playing with her. When all she found there was earnest honesty she pulled away slightly. " You've never had sex before ?"

" Not with a partner." He smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

" Seriously ?" she gaped.

He simply nodded in response.

" All the girls I've seen you with. When I first came to Padua, there was a new one every hour and you're telling me you never had sex with any of them ?"

" None of them seemed interesting enough to let things go that far." He tried to explain.

" Wow," She whispered quietly before opening and closing her mouth several times without actually saying a word.

" Does this mean we're stopping now ?" He asked as he tried to identify the expression on her face and came up lacking.

" Um," She paused and he didn't think he'd ever seen her so utterly speechless. " Do you want to stop now ?"

He reached up to touch her cheek this time and she leaned into his palm exactly as he'd done to her moments before.

" It's okay if you do. I understand. You're right this is important and it's not something you should take lightly." She told him finally. " Virginity is one of those things that doesn't have a return policy. Once it's gone, it's just gone. There are no 'do overs'."

He chuckled at her half-hearted joke. " I don't want to stop now. This is not something I take lightly. I've wanted you for so long I can barely remember a time when I didn't anymore." He confessed.

" Are you sure about this ? Really, really sure about this ?" She asked.

" I am. I didn't tell you because I wanted to stop. I told you because I wanted you to know." He told her truthfully.

" I'm just guessing this is not how you pictured your first time or where for that matter." She said with a touch unsureness to her voice.

He reached out and pulled her back into his body, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face into the warmth of her neck. " I don't care about the how or where. All I've ever cared about was who."

He heard her gasp as if his words had caused a physical reaction in her. " So you chose me to do this with ?" She asked into his shoulder. " You picked me out of all the girls in school and said yes, she's the one I want to lose my virginity to ?"

He thought at first she was mocking him and it stung a bit that she would be so callous with something as important as what they were discussing. But he pulled back and looked at her face and saw no glint of humor there, no sarcastic rolling of her eyes. In fact, if he didn't know her better, he could swear her eyes were glistening in the dim moonlight.

" I chose you, yes." He answered. " In all honesty, I chose you about two months after I met you. Right around the time I stopped try to avoid you because I was convinced you were out to kill me."

" The fire." She whispered as if to herself.

" That night on the roof of the school." He nodded in answer.

Her hand shifted on his shoulder and her fingers started to ease down his arm slowly. When she reached his wrist, they encircled it and she raised his hand to her mouth. After planting a soft kiss into his palm, she moved her lips to his wrist, then she let her mouth make the same trail her finger had in reverse. Once she reached his shoulder, she leaned up and let her mouth flow over his collarbone and her tongue dipped into the hollow at the base of his throat. His hand was splayed across the small of her back and his fingers twitched as they tried instinctively to pull into a fist over and over again. He closed his eyes and let himself sink into the feel of her lips on his skin, her fingernails raking over his flesh, her body pressed into him. He heard her move and suddenly she was more or less leaning over him in order to get to all of his body. Her mouth was still exploring every inch of him, sliding up the column of his throat, drifting along his jawline, easing over the tender spot right below his ear. He gasped and jerked as her teeth raked gently over his earlobe. He nearly cried out when her tongue followed the curves and folds of his ear. And he was visibly shaking when her tongue darted inside.

He started to move, wanting to pull her closer and shift their bodies so that he was in change instead, but she put her hand on his shoulder to still him.

" Don't move." She whispered and the sensation of her words blowing directly into his ear caused everything inside of him to tighten simultaneously. " Let me take care of everything."

She wanted to be in charge like she always did and for now he was happy to let her. He knew that taking the focus off of herself and putting it all on him was easier for her. He had no intention of letting things remain that way, but for the moment, he let it go and closed his eyes again, giving her her chance to do whatever she wanted to do to him.

It felt like time was moving in slow motion and hyper speed at the same time. Her movements were slow and methodical as she made sure not one part of his exposed skin was left without her touch. He shivered as her lips and tongue and teeth grazed over his flesh. He groaned as her fingers played over his muscles and her nails scrapped his body.

Everywhere she touched tingled and soon she had his entire body doing just that, tingling and shaking. Shaking so hard his teeth were almost chattering. His mouth was dry and tried to swallow several times to bring some moisture to it, but every time he tried, she would touch some new part of him, find some unexplored area and it would go completely dry again.

His hips jerked into the air when she found the hard pebble of his nipple and flicked her tongue over it. He hadn't even known how incredibly sensitive a man's nipple could be until she closed her mouth over his and began to suck with fervor. His hand moved to her hair and he tangled his fingers in it holding her in place as the groans fell from his lips. She had him writhing under her, everything she was doing to him was pure ecstasy. His mind was in sensory overload and he wasn't sure how much more he could take before he completely lost control.

Then her hand drifted down, across his peck, over his abs, pausing for a brief moment at his navel, which almost elicited a giggle from him this time, he had no idea he was ticklish. Then she stopped right above the waist band of his jeans and let her fingers trace its outline from one hip to the other, while her mouth still worked over his chest.

" You're sure ?" She asked, picking her head up long enough to see his answer. " Last chance to back out."

He raised up and looked down at her and even he could feel the intensity of his gaze on her. " I think that ship sailed a while back." He smiled tightly. " There is no way I'm backing out now."

She smiled back at him and held his eyes as her hand moved to the button on his jeans. She slid the rough material over the brass button slowly and he breathed out a sigh of relief as the binding at his waist was suddenly eased. Then she grasped the zipper and pulled it down with equal slowness. Her knuckles brushed over his hardness in the process and he hissed loudly and fought against the urge to throw his head back and close his eyes again.

It was too much, the look in her eyes, the feel of her hands, the exquisite weight of her body. He was quickly coming undone, entirely too quickly in fact. He wasn't sure how much more he could take. Her hand slid around his waist, coming to his hip where she paused long enough to lean up and kiss him. It was a soft kiss at first, a slow lingering kiss. He sighed into it. Then in a flash her tongue was pressing against his lips, begging him for entrance. Instead of granting it, he plunged his tongue between her lips and they battle for a long, drawn out moment.

She began to tug at his pants, tying to pull them from his waist and he raised his hips to assist her. Her mouth left his and she began to crawl down his body, pulling his jeans and boxers down his legs as she went. Once she eased them over his feet, she lost interest in them and they landed at the foot of her bed in a heap. Leaning back on her heel, she perched beside his knee and let her eyes rack over him with dangerously lowered lashes and a look of pure desire on her face.

He could feel the flush rising in his cheek as she continued to stare at him completely unabashed. "Kat," he groaned finally, taking her hand in his and grabbing the attention of her wandering eye.

" I'm sorry."She blushed. " I didn't mean to stare. You're just so....." She fought to find the right word. "Pretty." She finally settled on after a moment's struggle

He raised his eyebrow and gave her a lopsided grin. " Pretty ?"

" It was the best I could come up with on a moment's notice." She shrugged. " I wasn't expecting a vocabulary quiz."

He chuckled. " I'm okay with the staring. I know you're obsessed with me. But I wouldn't mind not being the only one so undressed." His hand came up and his finger traced over the bottom hem of her shirt.

Without a pause, without thinking even, she reached down and ripped the shirt over her head, sending it flying into the darkness of a far corner. " Better ?" She asked with a bright smile.

He intended to answer her. He even had a quick, retort planned for her next move. But he hadn't been anticipating that particular move and he was speechless as his eyes searched over every inch of her body. He caught sight of a shaking hand as it came up and brushed the air just over her breast and he realized it was his hand he was seeing.

Registering that he was about to embark on undiscovered territory, he glanced up at her face, trying to make sure she was alright with his touch before he actually made contact.

" For God's sake, Patrick." She moaned as his eyes found hers and her hand came around his and flattened it to her breast. " Touch me already."

He did as he was told, happy to comply. His palm formed around the swell of her breast and he marveled at how perfectly it fit there. The straining bud of her dusty pink nipple grazed his hand. He slid over her breast and cupped the underside while his thumb rubbed over the tight nub. She made a sound low and throaty in her chest and her head fell back as he pinched it between his fingers.

Leaning up, he let his mouth replace his hand, pulling her nipple between his lips and flicking his tongue over it as he began to suckle.

" Patrick." she groaned again as one hand came up to fist in his hair while the other grasped his shoulder.

The hand on his shoulder shifted as he moved to her other breast and skirted down the length of his chest. It brushed over his hipbone as it made a trail over his thigh. He could feel the heat of her touch as the part of him she affected the most strained towards her hand, silently begging her to touch him.

She refused to give in, tugging down his leg and back up, grazing his inner thigh as she went and causing him to drop back down to the bed and clench his eyes shut against her torment.

Then her touch left him completely and he almost opened his eyes to see what she was doing when her hand was suddenly encircling him and he was fighting with every ounce of his strength not to cry out loud at the feeling. She squeezed him for a moment, and he felt himself pulse and throb into her palm. Then she started to move her hand, gently, slowly following his length up and then back down. It was a torturous rhythm, an agonizingly slow cycle that she repeated over and over again until he was bucking his hips into her hand, trying to increase the sped of her movements. She resisted him, holding to her torture for a while longer before finally letting him go.

Again he almost opened his eyes to see what was happening when they jerked opened all on their own when his brain registered that what was surrounding him now was no longer her hand. It was too wet, too warm, too amazing to be her hand.

Her eyes found his as she looked up at him and she pulled as much of him as she could manage into her mouth.

" Oh my God," He moaned quietly as he watched her lips moving up and down his hardness. She groaned as well, causing a series of vibrations to play over his sensitive flesh and he fought to restrain himself from bucking into her mouth. Her lips moved over him the same way her hand had, in a slow, easy fashion that was driving him quickly to the brink of insanity. He wanted to tell her to that she was killing him, but the words wouldn't form. The connection between his brain and mouth was somehow severed and all he could manage was a series of low, throaty moans. At some point he thought he recognized one of the sounds as something close to her name, but he couldn't be sure and he was far too occupied with trying to make the moment last as long as possible to give it too much thought. In fact, every neuron in his body was occupied with that feat. He had never attempted anything so phyiscally consuming as trying to hold off the feeling that was growing inside him by the second. His hands fell from where they were resting on his shoulders and landed with a thud on the bed and they immediately curled into fists, clutching her sheets as if they were the only things keeping him from floating away.

When she swirled her tongue around the tip of him and began to nipple at the skin there, he felt the pit of his stomach fall out and his body flexed all at once.

He put his hand on her shoulder and his voice was shaky when he tried to use it. " You have to stop, now." He was insistant, letting her know that he meant it. But she simply brushed his hand away, enclosed him in her mouth again and redoubled her pace and the pull of her lips.

He gasped, fighting to withdraw from her mouth before he lost control completely. " Kat !" He called out as loudly as he dared when there was finally no stopping the pulse that racked through his body.

She held on to him throughout the entire thing, swallowing down every ounce that spilled out of him and drinking him in like he was some decadent entray she'd been dying to savor.

When he could once again think rationally, his chest heaved as he tried to draw in enough air to make speaking possible. Then he realized he had no idea what to say to her. No one had ever made him feel the way she had. No one had ever gotten as close. His hand which had been clutching her sheets, unwrapped itself and he let it fall lazily to her shoulder. She was beside him now, her body wrapped around his as tightly as it would fit. He let his fingers pull through her hair as he still fought to control his breath and his heartbeat.

Her hands were resting on his chest, not moving this time, instead they were fisted in tiny little balls and he realized that her body was tense.

He wondered why at first, unable to think clearly enough to decipher her sudden mood change.

He raised his head to look down at her uncertain face. " That was amazing." He grinned at her wildly, and somehow his words seemed to relax her and he felt her body melt into him instantly.

Then what he wanted to say was right there in the forefront of his mind and he realized with a startling clarity that he wasn't as afraid to say it as he thought he would have been. Instead, it felt like he was fighting against himself not to say it and that seemed odd to him. Why fight it ? Why not just tell her exactly what he wanted to tell her.

" I love you." He said, resigning the fight within him and letting his heart come out the victor instead of his head.

She blinked at him as if he'd spoken some foreign language she'd never heard before. Clearing she hadn't been expecting that revelation and it surprised her. But only for a moment. Then her head quickly caught up, and she smiled back at him with such warmth it caused his chest to swell.

" I love you, too." She admitted finally as if she'd been going through the same internal battle and his result had helped her achieve her own.

She nestled further into his side, bring one of her legs over his as one of her arms slid to his opposite shoulder. He felt as if she were a blanket, covering him in her protective heat and making him feel safer than he ever had before. Then she shifted, just slightly and her breast brushed against his ribs. That was when he remembered how unclothed she actually was and his body was already beginning to respond to her again.

He looked down at her and brushed a few strains of hair from her face. " You are absolutely amazing." He told her in all honesty and sincerity.

He felt her shiver against him and again his quickly recovering body stirred at the feeling.

" No, you're amazing." She countered. Then she glanced down his body and smiled when she came to his already hardening length. " I thought we were probably done for the night." Her hand drifted from his shoulder to his waist. She hesitated there as if she were unsure whether she should touch him or not. Then she seemed to make a decision and let her fingers wrap around him again. She squeezed him and the movement had him so off guard he wasn't sure how to respond.

Deciding to just go on instinct, he grabbed her hand, and shifted suddenly, flipping to his side and drawing her under him at the same time. She gasped as she found herself unexpectedly under him instead of beside him.

" I'm just getting started." He smirked and bent his head down to take her breast into his mouth.


	9. Chapter 9

Kat gasped as Patrick's weight landed on top of her, though he had managed to avert most of it to his elbows which were resting beside her head. She smiled as his head dipped down and he took one of her nipples into his mouth. His tongue swirled around the quickly hardening bud and his teeth grazed over it briefly, bringing a sound from her that was closely akin to a growl.

His hand came up to cup the breast he wasn't current paying attention to and as his thumb brushed over that nipple. The duo sensation of both of her breasts being stimulated at once caused a jolt to rip from the top of her head all the way down to her toes.

He moved his head, letting go of her nipple with a slight popping noise that gave testament to how hard he had actually been sucking at her skin. Then his lips moved to the valley between her breasts and he paused there to lathe her flesh for a moment before continuing on to her other breast.

He wasn't as slow with his exploration. The obvious impatience of his movement was evident in the way his fingers brushed over her. But she didn't mind.

She was actually growing quite impatient herself. She wanted to feel him, wanted him so badly her insides burned like they were on fire.

Just as his hands came to rest on either side of her hips, the phone on her table began to dance and twerp obnoxiously.  
He raised his head, dropping her nipple again with that popping noise and glared daggers at the phone.

She moved only enough to flail her hand out to search for the device. Finding it, she snatched it up and pushed the connect button without seeing who it was.

" What ?" She fumed into the phone as Patrick glanced up at her for a moment. Then resume his exploration of her with his lips and tongue.

" I'm just cheeking on you, Sweetheart." Her father's voice answered. " Is everything okay ? You sound a little upset." Her eyes widened at the sound of his voice and her entire body went rigid as if he could see where she was and what she was doing through the phone.

" I'm fine, Dad." Patrick looked up at her immediately at hearing who she was speaking to and a slow, devious smile spread across his face.

Her eyes widened in warning and her stomach sunk to her feet as he put his mouth right back over her breast and began to suck harder than he ever had. His lips left her breast after a moment and moved upward, skating over her chest, teasing her with quick licks and soft nips. She stifled a gasp as he followed the curve of her neck with his tongue. Then another as he grasped the earlobe without the phone pressed to it and bit down gently.

" Are you sure ? It really sounds like something's wrong."

" Is everything alright at the hospital ?" She tried to change the subject quickly as she realized the words ' I'm about to have sex with my boyfriend' were on the tip of her tongue. The guilt she always felt at lying to him was there, evident in her 'almost' declaration. But she pushed it away. There were some things a parent, especially one like her father, simply was better off not knowing.

Patrick shifted and suddenly he was looking up at her with a mischievous twinkle in his eye and she was truly afraid of what he was going to do next.

Her father droned on about Breech births and difficult labors and she did her best to listen to what he was saying, but it was a useless attempt.

She reached out to swat at Patrick who was now moving his hand down her side with easy, nimble fingers. He blinked down at her in feigned innocence.

She heard something about Bianca from her father and realized he was asking about her.

" She's home, been home all day actually. Apparently Joey stood her up." she answered.

" What about the 'man-boy' ? He wasn't there while I've been gone, was he ?" Her father asked.

Kat tried to quiet a groan as the man-boy in question raked his fingertip under the waistband of her pants. All the while his mouth was moving over every part of her that he could get to. The distracting intensity of the feel of his hands and lips on her skin was making it hard to concentrate on what her father was asking. Then she remembered and swallowed hard to try and bring some clarity to her thinking.

" He hasn't been here at all." She lied, though she hated to do it.

Patrick was now tugging at her pants and she didn't even realized she was doing it as she raised her hips to help his progress. Once he divested her of her remaining clothes, he set back and looked at her for a few long moments. Then his hand came to rest on her bared thigh and slowly he began to move it upwards. The heat of his touch on her inner thigh caused everything inside her to liquify instantly. When he inadvertently grazed his knuckle across her folds as he tried to move his hand to her other leg, she jerked.

The moan was inescapable and even Patrick snatched his eyes to her face in horror as his hand quickly retreated from her body. His face was a mask of apology and concern as she tried to cough over the slip of the tongue.

" You aren't coming down with something, are you, Honey ?" Her father asked, full of concern.

" I'm fine, I think I just swallowed wrong." She hedged, immediately. Then she thought about that and an idea came to her suddenly. " Actually I haven't been feeling very good all day. I think I'll just take some NyQuil and go to bed early."

It was a rouse to keep him from trying to cheek on her when he eventually made it home and she prayed that it would work.

" You do that." Her father answered. " It'll probably be morning before I get home anyway. This is looking like an all-niter. Apparently this baby isn't ready to face the world."

Patrick's hand was back to her hip now, all signs of contriteness and remorse gone from his face.

" Do what you have to do, Dad. We're fine here. Bianca is safely tucked away in her room studying and I'm going to bed." She told her father, hoping to get him off the phone quickly.

" Alright. Have a good night, Sweetie. I'll see you at breakfast, hopefully."

She clicked the phone off and gave it a fling where it landed somewhere with a thud. Then she grabbed hold of Patrick's shoulder and felt her fingers digging into it with bruising force.

" What the hell do you think you're doing ?" She demanded.

He chuckled and bent his head to kiss her, ignoring her hand completely. " Teasing you. It was fun."

" You are such an ass. If my father had suspected anything I'd be headed to a convent right now and you'd be heading to jail, or an E.R."

He shrugged and kissed her again. " But he didn't. You're a better actress than I've ever given you credit for."

His hand was still moving up her leg. When he reached her knee, he began the journey all over again in reverse. This time, however, he followed the natural curve of her body and the tip of his finger gently stroked through her course curls before tracing the outline of her lips. She completely forgot to be irritated with him any longer.

Her leg fell to the side on its own volition and she groaned as he skirted across her bundle of nerves once before sliding into her depths. Another finger joined the first one and he started to gently pump them in and out of her.

Her back arched into him and he dropped his head to her breast again, apparently one of his favorite spots.

" See," He whispered around a mouthful of breast. " I knew you couldn't stay mad at me for long."

She shivered and writhed under him as he began a scissoring motion with his fingers inside her. Her hand grasp his shoulder and she realized with more than a little embarrassment that she was clinging to him so wantonly, so desperately it reminded her of one of Bianca's trashy romance novels.

She felt something twist inside her as his thumb began to make tiny circles over her nerve center and every muscle in her body contorted at once as spots exploded in front of her eyes.

She was gasping when she began to remember where she was, her heart racing so hard it hammered against her ribs as if trying to escape.

" Oh my God." Patrick whispered into her hair as his lips brushed her ear. " That was the most incredible thing I've ever seen."

She opened her eyes lazily as she turned her head towards his. " It was the most incredible thing I've ever felt." She replied with a smile.

His lips covered hers in a tender, easy kiss that lingered for what seemed like hours. Her fingers tangled in his dark curls and he wrapped her up in his arms, surrounding her with his warmth and strength.

She felt like a moron as she tried to remove the idiotic smile from her lips, but it was a losing battle and she finally gave herself over to it.

" Don't you look pleased with yourself ?" He teased as he pulled back far enough to see her face.

" I am pleased with myself. And you should be too. For once in your life you have a right to your characteristic smug smile. And this time, I wouldn't even want to slap it off your face."

" Wow, now that is something to smile about, you not wanting to slap me."

" It's a rare occurrence. You should let yourself bask in it while it lasts." She joked, teasingly.

His lips found hers again and he shifted so his body was suddenly pressing into her. She felt his length, rigid and insistent, digging into her hip and it sent a shudder through her. " I'd rather bask in you." His voice was once again that low timbre that she didn't believe was humanly possible. It vibrated along her shoulder as his lips played across her flesh.

His lips moved from hers to find their way once again to her jaw, but this time instead of touching, they just brushed over her flesh as he began to speak, keeping his voice to the same tone as before and driving her insane with his words. " I have never seen a more hypnotic sight, than the way your hair and eyes catch the light." The tone and cadence of his voice told her it was poetry. He was reciting a piece of poetry as he ghosted over her body. She couldn't remember the piece. It was unfamiliar and some very small part of her mind was trying to recognize the artist. His breath breezed over her skin as he kept his lips just beyond touching her, using his words like a caress. Every syllable sent a new shiver through her. He continued his trek to her shoulder. " The glow of your skin, the blush on your cheek, the sounds you utter make me weak." He moved down her arm slowly, turning it in his hand to expose the inside of her elbow. " I'm helpless to do more than whatever you demand. For if your touch is the reward, I am at your command." He found her wrist and let his words flow over it before moving back up her arm. " You make me shudder as if in pain, every time you speak my name." He was back at her throat now and he paused long enough to kiss her before sliding back down the length of her body. " I'm powerless and frail under your touch, to hold you, to kiss you means so much."

She was shaking uncontrollably now. Every move he made caused a new thrill to jolt through her. She was mesmerized by his voice, captivated by his words. She wanted to ask him who the poet was, but the words were impossible. The deep resonance of his tone set her on fire. His breath blowing over her skin felt so good it was nearly painful. He was caressing her with words, stroking her body with a murmur instead of his hands. It was by far the most erotic thing she had ever experience and while that wasn't saying much, she was nearly positive she would still be able to make the same claim for years to come. He was at her stomach now ready to start speaking again, but it was too much. She couldn't take anymore.

With a shove at his shoulder, he landed on his back and she quickly reached into the bottom drawer of her nightstand and found the condoms she had stashed there. Grabbing one, she tore it open and made short work of rolling over his hardness.

Then she pulled at him until she had him over her. Bringing his lips back to hers she kissed him as his body settled into place over hers in a naturally comfortable position. Her legs wrapped around his waist, holding him tightly to her as he shifted enough to bring himself into alignment with her.

Being his first time, she imagined it would be awkward. She anticipated a bit of fumbling before he managed to get it right. She should have known better when it came to Patrick. His movement was smooth as if he had done it a hundred times and he slid into her with one easy, effortless move.

He gasped into her mouth and she swallowed the sound as he continued to sink until he could go no further. Then he paused there, his eyes tightly shut and his head thrown slightly back as he experienced the newness of it all. She let him have as much time as he wanted, basking in the exquisiteness of being filled by him.

He opened his eyes finally and locked his gaze with hers as he began to move. It was little more than a slight swaying of his hips at first. His thrusts were shallow and easy as he discovered each new sensation. His hands, which rested on either side of her head flexed as he tried to curl his fingers into fists. He did just that when she pushed her hips upwards with a touch more force than he was exuding. A growl escaped from somewhere deep in his chest and it rocked her to her core. Again she raised her hips off the bed, impaling herself on him and causing his entire body to spasm. Her arms curled around his biceps and she thrilled at the way they flexed as he moved.

He moaned a touch more loudly than he should have when he finally pulled nearly all the way out of her before plunging quickly back in. Her teeth jarred with the force of his thrust and she groaned as well and tighten her legs around his waist while her fingernails dug into his arms. Encouraged by her reaction, he repeated the move over and over again until her head was swimming and her ability to think of anything beyond him vanished completely.

They settled into a steady rhythm, each of them helpless to stop the sounds falling from their lips as the intensity between them continued to build.

She gasped as he suddenly pulled away from her completely and nearly let herself cry out at the loss of him. But she restrained the urge just before it left her lips. He pulled her up into his arms and turned them until around. Her legs instinctively fell to the sides of his hips and he laid back, pulling her down with him. Adjusting herself to her new position, she found him quickly and sank down onto his length.

He threw his head back and clenched his eyes closed again, and his hands fell to her waist, holding her tightly in his grip as she began to move over him.

She raised off his chest and his eyes found hers again as she started a pace that was far faster then the one he had employed. Staring into her eyes, his hands moved up and down her sides a few times before coming to rest at her breasts. His thumb racked over her nipples again and it almost caused her to falter in her movements. Soon his hips were bucking into hers with a force that stole her breath. A sheen of sweat broke out over their skins as they began to pant for each lungful of air.

Before she knew what was happening, the room began to spin and the moment he dropped his hand from her breast and let it fall down between them to flick across her center, she was lost.

His hips were thrusting into her now so powerfully she could barely hold on and once her orgasm overtook her, she fell onto his chest as he plunged inside her one last time before falling as well.

She laid there in a boneless heap like a used up rag doll sprawled over his chest for a long time. The sound of his heart trying to rip through his ribcage and his raged breathing mirrored her own. The moisture gathering between them as their sweat covered, over heated bodies entwined was becoming uncomfortable. She started to move as reality began to return to the edges of her vision, but his hands came around her quickly, ceasing her movements and holding her tightly to him. Deciding that it was a war she didn't really mind losing, she relaxed against him.

His fingers drifted through her hair in a lingering, idle fashion as his heart began to slow and his breath returned to its normal rhythm.

Suddenly remembering the poem, she raised her head to look at him. " What was that poem ? Who was it ?"

His smile was lazy, yet there was an unsureness to it that she seldom saw from him. " Verona." He answered quietly.

She shifted bring her body to his side and folded herself into him. " That was you ? You wrote that ?"

He laughed. " Actually, I made it up on the spot. I'm thinking of calling it, ' Kat'."

Her eyes widened in surprise at this new information and he chuckled at the look on her face. "What ?" He asked finally. " Was it that bad ? I mean I know it needs work, but it was just a spur of the moment thing."

" You write ?" She asked at last.

He shrugged. " Occasionally. When the mood strikes."

" Wow," she whispered, lowing her head to his shoulder and snuggling into him further.

He moved, pulling his head down to hers and brushing his lips over hers. " Was that a good wow or a bad one ?"

She smiled against his mouth before pulling away. " It's like I'm getting these little bits and pieces from you about who you really are and each one of them just amazes me more." She tried to explain.

All the humor left his face suddenly and she was afraid she'd said something to upset him. " You know me better than anyone else in the world." He told her at last after a long pause.

She swallowed at the earnestness in his eyes. He meant it, meant every word and she was honored that he had chosen her to share himself with. " I love you." She told him, unable to think of anything else to say that would explain what his confession meant to her.

His lips brushed her forehead and his arm tightened around her waist. " I love you, too."

It was the last thing they said before both of them drifted off into a peaceful slumber.


	10. Chapter 10

She was so hot. She could feel the sweat pooling into every crevice of her body. She had no idea what was causing the enormous amount of heat in the room. It was early spring. Even in California, it didn't get this hot until later in the year.

She shifted and realized with more than a little panic that her mattress was moving under her. It was rising and falling like the easy waves of the water lapping against the beach at low tide. She rolled with the movement. Sleep still had enough of a hold of her mind that she could almost imagine herself on a boat, drifting peacefully out to sea.

But then she was reminded once again of the heat and decided she really needed to move away from whatever mysterious force was causing it.

Blinking lazily as she tried to rid herself of the grogginess that consumed her, her eyes found her alarm clock and she saw that it barely past one in the morning. She had no idea why she was awake yet again at an ungodly hour of the morning. Then her mattress moved again and she glanced down and immediately understood why.

She silently chided herself as she recognized the position she was in. She was draped over a sleeping Patrick, literally sprawled across his chest as if he were a living pillow. Her chest rested squarely over the center of his. Her legs were still secured to either side of his thighs and she winced as she shifted and found her hips protesting wildly and loudly at the movement. His arms were holding her to him tightly, embracing her to his chest. She squirmed and rolled off of him before moving away from his body completely.

She wasn't this girl. She didn't know what was going on with her. This was ridiculous. Here she was lounging all over a man like he was the only thing saving her from drowning. It was so cliche and disgusting.

That was what she was. She was disgusted with herself. Disappointed that she had let herself get this far gone without pulling back.

He had warned her. None of this was his fault and as she looked up into his peacefully sleeping face, she knew she wasn't mad at him for any of this. He had none his best to stop this all from happening.

She brushed a wayward curl from his forehead and smiled when he unconsciously leaned into her touch. His lips were pursed just slightly and she felt herself blush as she remembered exactly how those lips had made her feel when they were pressed against her skin. Running a finger over them softly, she let herself indulge in that memory for a moment before going back to kicking herself for her lack of self control.

She finally pulled away from him completely moving as far to the side of the bed as she could. She didn't want to touch him for a moment. She needed to think about everything that had happened, what she had done. How would he react when he woke ? Would this new step in their relationship bring about reactions in him that she couldn't deal with ? Would he turn possessive and clingy now ? Would he suddenly pull away now that he had gotten what he ultimately wanted from her ? Would he pretend nothing had happened ?

What the hell had she done ?

Once her body left his, he shifted in his sleep, rolling to his side and stretching into a more comfortable position. She watched him move and let herself enjoy it for a few moments. She loved the way he moved. He was so fluid and graceful, despite his long limbs and body. He was so comfortable in his own skin and it showed in the way he executed very movement he had. She wished she were even a degree of that kind of perfect.

So flawless, she thought as her eyes settled on his face. Even when he was awake and that crease appeared between his brows, or his beautiful eyes widened in surprise or disbelief, or his mouth quirked up at the corners and his lips formed that smile, the lopsided, smug, arrogant one that drove her crazy.

Crazy, that was exactly what she was. She was completely crazy for this man-boy that had infiltrated her life so utterly. And she was crazy for letting herself feel this much for him.

His hand came out suddenly and it appeared as if he were searching for something. That crease appeared in his brow when he didn't find it and his eyes slowly began to blink at his awakening.

" Where did you go ?" He asked when he finally opened them fully and found her clinging to the opposite edge of the bed.

" I just.." Her words failed her as she tried to find a way to explain what she was feeling. " I needed a minute." She ultimately stated a touch lamely.

He shifted again, propping himself up on his elbow and looking her over critically. " You needed a minute for what ?" His voice was full of genuine concern now and all signs of sleep had left his face.

" To think." She answered. .

" Kat," His tone was edged with a warning to it that said he would not take any kind of rejection from her well at this point. " Don't do this."

" Do what ?" She shrugged in feigned innocence. She knew exactly what he was talking about. She was freaking out and he could see it all over her face, sense it in the set of her shoulders.

" You know exactly what. This is a good thing." He reminded her. " We both enjoyed it. Nothing is going to change. Just stop, right now." His voice was harsh, edged and insistent.

And he was right. Everything he said was completely correct. This was a good thing. Everything was wonderful. She loved him, he loved her. There was no need to panic.

Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly and eased back towards him. He grabbed her out of nowhere and yanked her against him before smothering her lips with his.

When she managed to breath again, she found herself laying flat on the bed with him hovering over her, nearly surrounding her with his body. " There." He smirked as he leaned back enough to see the smile that was easing across her face. " That's my girl."

She punched him and he winced in response. " See, like I said, nothing changed."

" Don't call me your girl. It's demeaning, demoralizing and sexist." She announced.

He chuckled quietly before kissing her again. She could feel his smile against her lips. " I love you." He breathed when he let her go.

" I love you, too." She whispered as she cupped his face in her hand.

He leaned into her touch just as he had while he was asleep and she lost herself in his eyes for a few moments. Then reality set back in and she looked away quickly.

" There you go thinking again." He jerked, jarring her attention back to him. " If I have to keep kissing you to stop that from happening, it could get a touch awkward at the dinner table or during class, but I'm willing." He warned her.

She laughed despite herself. He had a way of making her do that, laughing when it was the last thing she felt like doing. It was one of his gifts. One of the things she loved the most about him.

" My dad's heart is only so strong. Please don't make me an orphan by attempting to make out with me at our dinner table." She joked.

" Like I said, it could get awkward. But," He shrugged. " Whatever it takes."

He shifted, taking himself off of her and bringing her into his side as he laid down next to her. It was one of those smooth movements that she so admired. Not only did he have complete control over his own body, apparently he had control over hers as well and could easily manipulate them both simultaneously. It was an amazing ability.

" So what happens now ?" She asked as she settled her head on his shoulder and snuggled in tighter to him.

" What do you mean ?" He wondered, glancing down at her for clarification.

" You said nothing's changed. But that's not true. Everything's changed today. Nothing will ever be the same between us again." She tried to explain.

" Only if we let things change. We are in control here. What is it that you're worried about ? Do you think that now that we have sex, it's all we'll do ?" He asked, leaning up further so he could see her better.

" Well, maybe." She answered, suddenly understanding that, that was exactly what she was worried about. She didn't want to lose him the way he was before. The sex was amazing, there was no denying that and she wanted to repeat the experience, over and over again. But she didn't want to lose the long talks they had, or the rides to the beach, or the late night conversations on the phone. Would all that stop now that there was something better to do ? Would she lose her friend in lieu of him becoming her lover ?

He shifted again, arranging himself lower on the bed so that he was level with her face and looking into her eyes. " I've already told you this isn't the reason I'm here." He answered her sincerely. " It was great, don't misunderstand me. And I want to do it again," He glanced down at her bare chest and smirked, " Soon, and often." That earned him a chuckle in response and it encouraged him to continue. " But it isn't all I want from you. There is so much more than just this between us."

She blinked as she felt a sudden rush of tears burning the corners of her eyes. " You're my best friend." She whispered quietly.  
" And you're mine." She raised her eyes back to his with a finger under her chin. " And sex isn't going to change that. It just gives us yet another thing to do when we're together." He smiled again. " See, we have so much to do, we'll never get bored with each other. I'll prove it to you, even."

" How will you do that ?" She asked, curiously.

" Saturday night, we'll dress up, do dinner, maybe a movie, the works." He offered.

" Like a date ?" She ventured.

" Exactly like a date. I'll even ask your dad's permission and sit through the damn films." He muttered.

" We'll pay for dinner ?" She teased him remembering their first experience at this kind of thing.

He nodded. " I'll pay for dinner and the movie. All you have to do is be here, ready to go at six, wear a dress and let me drive your car."

" I'll drive." She announced with a smile.

" No, it doesn't work that way. I drive, I pay, I even open all the doors for you." He smiled back.

" That won't be necessary. I promise I possess the mental capacity to understand how a door works." She rolled her eyes.

" Don't start Joan of Arc, No one is trying to lit you on fire. Ease back on the feminism. I get it, you are woman, here you roar." He rolled his eyes back at her.

She laughed out loud, a touch too loudly and he quieted her with a quick kiss.

" Something tells me your father won't let me take you out Saturday if he comes in here and finds us naked in bed together on Thursday. I'm just guess here, though." He laughed with her.

" No, I'm guessing there aren't enough films in his library to make him okay with this set up." She confirmed. " But I don't think he's home yet. He said he'd be all night."

" He came home about an hour and a half ago. I heard him coming up the stairs." Patrick informed her.

" That's funny." She muttered as she eased up from the bed. " I usually wake up when I hear his car pull in."

She rose from the bed, dragging one of the sheets with her, holding it to her chest with one hand while she went to the window to look down at the driveway. The only car she found there was her own.

" Dad's not home." She shook her head.

" Well," He got up to and came to stand beside her, not bothering to pull a sheet with him. She glanced around at him and found herself captivated by the moonlight that played off of the plains and plateaus of his chest. " Someone was here and it didn't sound like Bianca's dainty little footsteps."

She suddenly registered what he was saying and a panic began to form around the corners of her mind. Was there someone in the house ? An intruder ? Someone waiting outside in the shadows of the hall to grab either her or her sister if they ventured from their rooms ?

He must have recognized the look on her face because he moved to the foot of the bed and snatched his jeans from the floor. Tugging them on quickly, he came back and placed a kiss on her lips. " Stay here. I'll check it out." He told her. Then he turned as he reached the door and gave her a smirk. "Where is Joan of Arc now ?" He teased. " Oh, Patrick there's a big bad person roaming around in my house," He mocked, " Protect me from it."

She snatched a stuffed animal from her desk and threw it at him before he manage to get out the door.

She followed him to the door and stood there with it cracked listening intently for any signs that he had found trouble. She found herself chewing on her bottom lip and fought off the urge to pace.

When he reappeared a few minutes later with a bemused look on his face, she heaved a sigh of relief.

" What ? Is everything alright ?" She asked.

" Ah," He pulled her into him. " Honey, you were worried about me."

She smacked him response.

" Everything is fine. Seems Bianca is having her own sleepover." He informed her as he tugged off his jeans and got back into bed.

" What ?" Kat demanded as she joined him on the bed. " My little sister is having sex next door ?"

" No," He shook his head, but the smile remained in place. " I'm pretty sure they're done now. They seem to be sleeping."

" Who ?"

He blinked at her in confusion. " Uh, Donner, her boyfriend."

Kat rolled her eyes again. So much for her attempt. Ah, well, It was Bianca's life. Kat wasn't required to like her boyfriend.

" They aren't nearly as smart as we are." He informed her. " I mean her door wasn't lock. I just turned the knob and it opened right up. Has she met your father ?"

Kat laughed. " Maybe I should call her and warn her to lock it."

" I locked it for them when I shut the door. I'd say Donner owes me one for that."

He had snatched up one of the blankets and it was resting low over his waist. Kat let her eyes trail down the length of his chest and found herself fascinated by the contours of his hips, the trail of hair that led under the blankets and the bumps of muscles made by his abs.

She didn't realized she was doing it until her hand came into her vision, but she watched, mesmerized by it as her fingertip bumped over said abs and ran through the length of hair.

He grabbed her hand by the wrist and she suddenly found herself sprawled over his chest indecently. " Woman, are you insatiable. I've created a monster." He smiled before pulling her down for a kiss.

" Well, I figured since we have definitely made solid plans that don't involve sex, we could indulge ourselves while we have the opportunity." She answered as she wiggled her lower body over his.

He hissed and gasped into her mouth as they kissed again. " Who said Saturday's plans don't involve sex ?" He teased. " If I'm going through all that effort, I expect to get laid."

" Are you planning on asking my father's permission for that as well ?" She laughed as his hands settled onto her hips.

" Do you think I should ?" He countered, bantering right along with her, another reason she loved him so much.

" I thought we just discussed you not making me an orphan."

He sighed and looked a little put out. " You mean you want me to lie to him ? I don't that's the proper way to start a relationship between us."

She smirked this time. " Maybe you're right. Tell him everything you plan to do with me. Don't leave out any detail and let me know how that works out for you."

He winced and pretended to cower in fear even as his hands started to move along her sides seductively. " I think I like all my parts where they are. And I'm pretty sure you're in agreement with me here." He punctuated the statement by raising his hips and grinding one of her favorite parts of him into her thigh.

She tossed her head back to give him access to her neck as his lips began to trail down her jaw. " Can we please stop talking about my father now ?"

" Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." He agreed before dipping his head to the valley between her breasts.

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**Author's note : I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you to everyone that's reviewed. They really do keep me going. I also wanted to add my two cents into the mix over the demise of this great show. I want to do bad things to the PTB at ABC family. This show deserves a chance it never really got. And I want to wish great luck and great success to the people who put it together and worked hard to keep it going. May your next ventures be successful ones. A particular note to Lindsey Shaw and Ethan Peck, you have done a wonderful job making these characters real and lovable. I truly hate to see them go, but know that you have fans that love you and we will be watching for you where ever you end up next. **


	11. Chapter 11

Patrick Verona was not a man who let himself get worked up easily. He did his level best to keep his head cool at all times. Worry was not something he was accustomed to, neither was this gut wrenching sense of dread that he couldn't seem to shake. His palms were sweaty, for God's sake. His mouth was dry and his heart was pumping so hard he just knew it was going to explode any second.

References ? Was this guy for real ? He didn't have references. He was pretty sure there wasn't a person in the world other than Kat that would claim he was anything but bad news.

" Look," He said, finally after taking a deep breath and rubbing his hands against the front of his black dress slacks. " I don't have references. I don't have much of a family and I keep to myself so no friends, either. But," He swallowed hard at the frown that was creasing Dr. Stratford's brow now. " I like Kat and she likes me. Isn't she enough of a reference for you ?"

The older man stuck his hands in his pockets and looked Patrick up and down critically.

" Was that a motorcycle I heard pull into my driveway ?" He asked after a few silent moments.

" It was, but we'll be taking Kat's car tonight." Patrick assured him.

" And where do you think you'll be going in Kat's car ?"

" To dinner and a movie."

" What restaurant ?" Walter Stratford continued to interrogate him carefully.

" O'Briens. It's at 10th and main. I have the phone number." He reached into his pocket and extracted a business card. He noticed his hand was shaking slightly when he handed it over to him.

" And the movie ?"

" I'm not sure of the name." Patrick told him truthfully. " It's a foreign film complete with subtitles. Kat picked it."

" Rated ?" Walter fired at him quickly.

" PG-13." Patrick answered.

" Drinking ?"

" Definitely not."

" Drugs ?"

" Nothing stronger than Tylenol if I need it to get through the film."

He thought he noticed the corners of Kat's father's mouth twitch at that, but he covered it quickly.

" You'll be home at ?" Walter raised his eyebrow.

"Eleven, not a second later."

" Nudity ?" He continued.

Patrick blinked for a moment in surprise. " You mean the movie ? I don't think-"

" I mean of any sort whatsoever." Walter clarified.

" I plan to remain fully clothed all evening, Sir and I don't think the movie will have any either."

Walter stepped back and eyed him again. Then he reached out and put his hand on Patrick's back. "Come with me. There are a few things we need to discuss before I let you walk out of here with one of the most precious things in the world to me." He told him as he led him down a narrow hallway.

" So you let Kat pick the movie, huh ?" He asked as they entered his study.

Patrick swallowed again and nodded. " Yes, Sir."

" Well, you're brave, I'll give you that much." He shook his head before closing the door and dimming the lights to start the videos.

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Kat Stratford was not a woman who was taken to nervousness. She wasn't the jittery type. But as she stood in front of the full length mirror on the back of the bathroom door examining herself closely, she was feeling downright twitchy.

She reached up to tuck a stray hair behind her ear and took a step closer to the mirror to make sure her makeup was still in the right place. She didn't normally wear makeup. In fact she hated the waxy mask feeling it gave her skin. That was exactly what makeup was as far as she was concerned, a mask that hid the real person behind gobs of goop. She had never figured out where the concept had originated even. Was there some cave woman sitting idly by a stream, looking at her reflection in the water and thinking, I'd be so much prettier if I just had some black crap around my eyes.

She laughed silently at her own joke. It was a thought she'd have to share with Patrick. She just knew he would find it amusing, too.

She stepped back again and tugged at the bodice of her dress, trying without much success to raise the neckline enough for her father to not notice how low it was really cut. The dress was red and the neckline plunged daringly low between her breasts. She would need a shawl if she planned on being allowed to leave the house, or a jacket, or maybe even a turtleneck.

With that thought in mind, she hustled across the hall and into her room, not bothering to close the door behind her.

She was buried in her closet when she heard a noise behind her and she turned quickly to find Bianca perched on the foot of her bed.

" What do you want ?" She snapped before digging back into the pile of clothes.

" You look nice. Big date ?" She asked as she examined her perfectly manicured, red fingernails.

" No," Kat sneered meanly. " I'm just going to lay around the house and read all night. I just wanted to get dressed up in case of a fire. I wouldn't want the firemen to catch me indisposed."

Bianca dropped her hand and huffed. " You don't have to be snappy. I was just wondering if you needed help getting ready. This is really more my field than yours."

Kat stopped her rummaging rampage and eyed her sister. " Why ? What's in it for you ?"

" Nothing. I just want to help. You help me all the time and I never get to return the favor. Now I have a chance." Bianca shrugged.

Kat backed out of the closet and tuned to her sister with her hands on her hips. " I don't buy it."

" Buy whatever you like. I'm offering. You know where to find me if you need me." The younger girl said, standing from the bed and heading towards the door.

" I guess I could use an opinion." Kat muttered before she had a chance to leave.

" Show me."

Kat held her hands out and let her younger sister examine her carefully.

" The make up is good. How did you manage that ?"

" I found tips on the internet." Kat admitted.

" Dad is never going to let you leave in that dress though. You need a distraction from the cleavage, or a coverup."

" That's why I was in my closet I was looking for something I could throw on over it until I got outside. Something that doesn't look like I'm going to take it off the minute I get outside." Kat told her.

" I might have something that will work." Bianca offered before turning on her heel and flouncing from the room. She returned a moment later with a tailored, black velvet jacket.

Kat slipped into it as Bianca held it out. Kat buttoned it up and smiled as she noticed how it hide the neckline of the dress.

" Are you taking the bike or the car ?"

Kat rolled her eyes. " The car, of course. Why ? Does it matter ?"

" It would. The bike makes things more difficult." She mused as she studied Kat again.

" How so ?"

" The hair, for one thing. A helmet would not be a friend to that style. And well, the dress would work with the bike, since it flares out at the waist. Which is nice because if you have hips like mine and I know you do, the full circle skirt actually diminishes them." Bianca explained.

" He doesn't seem to have a problem with my hips and neither do I." Kat protested.

" I'm glad to know you have such a positive self image." Bianca smiled. " Now the hair."

She reached up and started tugging at the neat, tight bun Kat had spent a lot of time on.

" What are you doing ?" She shrieked when it started to come loose.

" I'm fixing it." Bianca answered. " It's too harsh, too sever. You don't want him to think you're an ice queen."

" He knows me, Bianca."

The younger girl put her hands on Kat's shoulders and moved her to the bed. Then she pushed her down and grabbed a brush from the desk behind her. " Just let me help. You'll like it, I swear."

A few minutes later, Bianca stepped back and admired her handiwork before giving Kat a mirror so she could see it herself.

Her hair was still up, but instead of a sever looking bun, it was in a sort of sloppy French twist. Long, curly chocolate colored tendrils hung down around her face, framing it nicely and giving her a wind swept look.

" It's nice." Kat told her appreciatively. " Thank you."

" You're welcome." Bianca smiled at her. " Just a few more items and you'll be ready to save your date from Dad."

" He's here!" Kat exclaimed jumping up from the bed.

" He got here just as I came in. But it's okay. You have time. You know Dad won't let him go until he sees the Beech-birth video, at least."

Kat watched her leave and was still staring at the opened doorway a few minutes later when she returned. She had something tucked under her arm, something else clasped in her hand and she was holding out a necklace.

Without asking for permission, Bianca slipped the chain around her neck and fastened it securely. The chain was gold and on it was a heart-shaped diamond pendant. Kat glanced down at it for a moment and saw that it fell perfectly with its bottom tip hanging right at her cleavage line.

When she looked back at her sister to thank her, she found her holding out her hand. Kat opened her hand to accept whatever she had to offer and Bianca dropped a pair of matching earrings into her palm.

After Kat had them secured in her ears, her sister held out a tiny, gold clutch purse to her and Kat took it while eying it warily.

" What's this ?" She asked.

" A purse." Bianca rolled her eyes. " Women carry their things in them."

" I don't have things to carry." Kat answered.

" Yes, you do. Put your lipstick, your I.D., cellphone and a few dollars in it, just in case." Bianca explained.

" In case of what ?"

" Anything. You don't want to be stuck out there with no way of getting home and no way to call for help." Her sister told her.

" What are you imagining is going to happen tonight that I'm going to need a rescue squad for ?"

" I'm not imagining anything. I'm just saying it's better to be safe than sorry."

" Alright." Kat gave in and started tossing the items Bianca suggested into the purse. " Is that all ?"

" Leave the tazer at here." Kat rolled her eyes at her.

" This is your first real date kinda." Bianca smiled at her.

" No," Kat protested. " We went to that dance and then there was that night we went out to dinner."

" The first one he got arrested at the end of and the second found you vomiting up your tofu by curfew." Bianca rolled her eyes. " Are you sure you want to try for a third time with this date thing ? It seems like disaster follows the two of you."

" Yes, I'm sure." Kat informed her. " This time will be different. Tonight is going to be perfect."

" I hope so. You could use a little perfect." Her sister smiled.

" Thank you."

" Oh !" She jumped up and ran from the room, calling " One more thing," Over her shoulder as she left.

She returned a moment later with yet another piece of jewelry.

" Give me your hand." Kat held it out to her without reservation this time.

Bianca slipped a pretty little watch on her wrist and fastened it quickly. " This is because, as we both know, Stratford girls turn into pumpkins at the stroke of eleven. It's set perfectly with Daddy's watch. So he can't get you on a technicality."

Kat stood from the bed finally and did a final twirl for Bianca.

" Perfect." Her sister approved.

Kat came to stand in front of her and reluctantly put her arms out. Bianca stepped into them after only a moments hesitation. The hug was brief and awkward and Kat wondered when that had happened. There was a time when they hugged all the time. A time when they actually got along and even liked each other. She was a bit sad that that had apparently changed along the way.

" Thank you, again. This was very nice of you." Kat told her as they broke apart.

" You're welcome." Bianca smiled up at her. " You know, you are actually really pretty when you try to be."

Kat rolled her eyes. " And you aren't nearly as bratty as you pretend to be."

Bianca dropped her eyes for a moment before looking back at Kat and she thought she might have spied the beginning of tears in the corners of eyes. " You look just like Mom."

Kat's breath caught in her throat for a moment and she found herself threatened with tears as well. Suddenly feeling the need to change the subject before she ruined her make up, she gave her little sister a sly grin. " Are you having sex with Joey Donner ?"

Bianca's eyes widened and she cheeks blushed a bright shade of red. " How did you know about that ?"

" Someone saw you. You really need to be more careful. You didn't even lock the door. It was lucky someone besides Dad caught you."

" What exactly did someone see ?" Bianca demanded nearly hystrically.

" Just the two of you sleeping."

" What was someone doing in the house that late anyway ?" Bianca turned the tables on her quickly.

" Someone heard someone else moving around the house and that someone was checking to make sure it wasn't an intruder planning to murder us in our sleep." Kat smiled.

" How very brave and noble of someone !" Bianca answered with her own smile.

" Yes, it rather was." Kat agreed.

" Alright, already. I'm betting that same someone is now in need of your rescue. So get down there and save him before Dad starts the STD videos. The one about Herpes is disgusting. It'll ruin his appetite."

Kat gave her another quick hug before bolting from the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

" So you see, Son." Kat heard Walter's voice announcing from his study. " Herpes is something you'll have to live with your entire life. But don't worry. If you happen to give said Herpes to my daughter, you'll misery will be over quickly. See, I can cure Herpes. Death does the trick rather nicely."

She came to the door quickly, mentally chiding herself for taking so long getting ready. He was going through so much trouble the least she could have done was save him from the STD talk.

She knocked on the door before opening it and finding the lights dimmed, a video about Syphilis just starting on the laptop set up on the desk and Patrick and her father sitting in matching chair in front of it. Patrick looked a little green even in the diminished lighting and Walter was wearing a self satisfied smile on his face.

" Dad, really ? Was all this necessary ?" She asked as she came to Patrick and took his hand. She pulled him to his feet and he came along with her willingly.

" As a matter of fact, it was." Walter answered. " Now I trust you remember all the rules."

" Yes, I know them all, no drinking, no drugs, no tattoos, no animal sacrifices of any kind. And I'll be home at eleven." Kat answered.

" You'll be home before eleven." Walter corrected. " Don't make me stay up late worrying about you."

" Yes, Daddy." Kat nodded. " Now say goodnight."

" Goodnight." Walter told her and came over to kiss her cheek. "Have a good time." Then he cast his eyes towards Patrick and they narrowed dangerously. " Not TOO good of a time."

Kat tugged Patrick's hand as she started out the door.

" Remember that pregnancy is the most wide spread sexually transmitted disease." Walter called after them. " If you make me a grandfather, Boy, I'll make you a corpse."

As soon as the front door closed behind them, Patrick let go of her hand and sagged against it while drawing in a deep, cleansing breath.

"Wow," He muttered under his breath.

" I'm sorry. I know." She consoled him as best she could with her father's face staring at them through the curtains in the living room window.

" He's really something." Patrick answered.

" Yes, he is." She agreed, taking his hand again and pulling him towards her car in the driveway.

" Is he watching us ?" Patrick asked with the beginnings of a smile.

" He's making sure we really are taking my car and not the bike." She informed him as she handed him her keys.

" Seriously ?" He said, " And what would he do if we just jumped on the motorcycle and rode away ?"

" Call the cops." She nodded off offhandedly. " I know he's overbearing and hard to deal with. I appreciate the effort."

Patrick shrugged as they got in the car and fastened their seat belts. " He cares. It's nice to know someone is looking out for you like that."

" Would be better if he saw that you aren't the bad guy though." She reasoned.

He reached over and put his hand on her thigh, squeezing it gently. " But I am the bad guy." He smirked.

They drove in silence for a while, neither of them feeling the need to fill the empty space with words. When they stopped at a light. Patrick moved his hand from her thigh to find hers and wrapped his fingers around it, bringing it to his lips and kissing the back of it softly.

" You look absolutely breathtaking." He told her in that deep voice that sent a tingle straight up her spine.

She let her eyes move over him. He wore a pair of black dress pants, a dark blue button-up shirt and a black vest. It reminded her of the outfit he had worn for the dance at the beginning of the year. He looked so good she reached out and traced the edges of the vest with her finger causing his breath to catch for a second. " So do you."

When he stopped at the next light, she quickly unclasped her seat belt and leaned in to give him a kiss. He looked surprised at first but responded after barely a seconds hesitation.

When she pulled back and got back into her belt her eyes were dancing with mirth at the bemused look on his face. " I figured you deserved that for putting up with the inquisition so nicely."

" Oh," He chuckled. " I deserve far more than just that for getting through that without bolting."

" I promise to make it up to you later." She nodded in agreement.

" I'm holding you to that promise. You owe me, big time."


	12. Chapter 12

It wasn't part of the plan, but then things rarely went the way they wanted them to go. He hadn't been able to help himself though. Kat had warned him that skipping the movie was not a good idea. She let him know that her Dad was surely looking the movie up online and would have a list of questions about it the second they walked through the door.

Patrick had assured that he had been faking his way through tests for years now and he would do fine on her father's final exam. Kat hadn't look convinced, but when he pulled her into him, she relented and wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him in closer.

He had come to think of it as their spot now. After one afternoon the cave had quickly changed from his private fortress of solitude to their spot. He was surprised at how easily he had let her invade something so important to him.

He wouldn't ever tell her, but this was where he came when he needed to get away from everything. When his stepfather lashed out at him, or his mother forgot he existed. In fact, the cave felt more like his home than his actual home did. He also wouldn't tell her that he hadn't been home since the day they stopped in to grab his jacket. The day they spent right here in this very cave. He wouldn't let her find out that his mother hadn't actually made the basket of food they shared that day. It was Ella that had done him the favor. Ella had been his mother's employee for years and she had fed Patrick more often than his mother had. When he was hungry, he went to Ella. When he needed anything, he went to Ella. Ella was one of the few people who really knew what his life was like. She was the one to nurse his wounds when he wasn't fast enough to dodge his stepfather's attacks. She was the one that gave him advice when he had no answers of his own. She was the one that took care of him. His grandmother for all intents and purposes, though they shared no actual blood tie.

He gasped suddenly and his mind swiftly returned to reality when Kat shifted under him and her thigh brushed over his hardness. He couldn't believe how much she still turned him on. He had been nursing the raging hard on since she shucked off her jacket at the restaurant. The bodice of her dress pressed into her heaving breasts, causing them to actually spill over the top just enough to make him ache to cover them with his hands. Apparently, he was a boob man. He hadn't known that about himself until recently. But he seemed absolutely helpless to resist the urge to gawk at her chest every chance he got. He was powerless to keep from touching them when he had the opportunity.

They were stretched out on an old, red, plaid blanket that he kept stashed in the back corner of the cave. He had found several such hidey holes around the old place and he used them to store some of his favorite things. A few books, the blanket, a stash of snacks, just in case. He never knew when he would need the place and sometimes, when he was dashing for the door to avoid his stepfather's fists, there just wasn't time to pack provisions.

He was surprised that no one had ever disturbed any of the items he kept there. The cave wasn't so well hidden that no one else could find it. And he knew that campers occasionally stayed there from the evidence of fires in the pit that he hadn't put there.

" I thought you said this wasn't all we'd do now." Kat breathed against his neck, protesting their activity while peppering his skin with kisses and soft nips.

He pulled back and instantly felt guilty for the diversion from their plans. " I'm sorry." He told her. "You're right. We can probably still catch the movie."

He made a move to get up, but she grabbed his hand and stilled him immediately.

" It's okay. We'd just be doing this in the theater instead. Why pay twelve bucks for a spot where we can make out when this one is free ?" She smiled up at him.

He settled back over her and went back to work kissing her into a frenzy. But it didn't last long before she was pulling away again.

" Do you always keep this blanket here ?" She asked him and he instantly deflated. He had hoped she hadn't noticed where he'd gotten it from.

" Yeah," He muttered and decided to try to distract her by attacking her neck with his tongue.

Of course it didn't work. She just pushed at his shoulders and eyed him for a moment.

" Why ? How often do you use this cave ?" She asked him.

" Sometimes." He admitted.

" Sometimes ?" She countered, expecting some clarity. " Often enough that you store items in it."

" I keep a few things here." He huffed, realizing she wasn't going to let the topic drop so he could get back to enjoying himself.

" Patrick," She whispered into the darkness and her voice was practically pleading with him to share. He didn't want to. He didn't want to talk about his home life or the lack of it with her. He didn't want her to know how much he really envied her. She had everything he wanted. A beautiful house, a sister that cared about her, a father that might just love her too much. It was something he dreamed about for himself. Something that he knew he'd never have.

He rolled to her side but refused to let her go completely. Instead his lips found her bare shoulder and he went about laying soft kisses to her skin, still hoping to distract her.

" Please talk to me." She said as she moved away from him and found his face with her gaze even in the near darkness that surrounded them. " There is more to this cave than it being a convenient make out spot."

He sat up and pulled his legs in front of him Indian style. Her hand came to rest on his leg, as if encouraging him to open up.

" I stay here sometimes when I don't have anywhere else to go." He confided finally.

" Why would you not have anywhere else to go ? You have a home."

" My stepfather and I don't really see eye to eye sometimes." He admitted though it killed him to do so.

" What does your mother say about that ?" Kat wanted to know, as she sat up as well and positioned her body in a mirror of his. He could feel her knees as they rubbed against his even through his pants and her dress.

" She doesn't really have much of an opinion unless he gives her one." He told her.

He saw her shoulders slump in the moonlight that invaded through the cave entrance. " I'm sorry." She told him.

" I don't want you to be sorry. I don't want to talk about this at all." He informed her, his words harsh, but he managed to keep his tone gentle.

She reached out and brushed her hand along his cheek. " But I do. I want to know everything about you, not just the good things. I want to know everything."

Then she shifted, crawling into his lap and placing her arm around his neck. His arms wrapped around her on their own accord, securely her against his chest.

" Why doesn't she have an opinion ? What do you mean unless he gives her one ?" She asked, her voice skirting across his throat as she spoke.

He shifted getting her into a more comfortable position, one that allowed him to kiss her, which he did, intently. " Do we really have to talk about all this right now ? This is our date. I don't want to ruin it with all this."

" I want to hear about this later." She informed him sternly. " All of it. Every last detail. If you're going through things at home, I want to be a part of them."

" Alright. You'll get a full report when I sneak into your window later tonight." He smiled at her.

" Who said I was letting you in my window later tonight ?" She teased him.

He sighed and took her hand in his. " It's either your window or this cave tonight and I did sit through a fifteen minute long discussion about Gonorrhea for you."

" That's true, I suppose." She agreed.

" Were you aware that if left untreated Syphilis can cause insanity ?" He asked.

" Yes, I was aware. I've been aware of that since I turned thirteen and he deemed it was time for THE talk." She answered with a snicker. " Were you aware that St. Bridget's is the closest fully cloistered convent in the vicinity and he has several brochures tucked away ' just in case'?"

" I wasn't aware of that, no. But I can promise that he won't be ushering you away to St. Bridget's without me putting up a fight. We can live right here in this case if we have to." He informed her.

Her fingers were playing with the hair on at the nape of his neck and the sensation was driving him crazy. He leaned down and brushed her lips with his in a fleeting tender kiss. " Have I said I love you yet tonight ?"

" No, you have not. But in your defense, I haven't said I love you either." She smiled.

" Wow, now that is something. You are actually defending me." He mocked.

She pressed herself into him and her fingers curled around the lapel of his vest. " I'd defend you with my last breath." She told him with dramatic flair.

" Isn't that my line ?" He laughed.

" Not in my world, Buddy. Here there is an equal amount of last breath defending,heroic valor and death defying devotion."

He kissed her again, smiling against her lips. " I'm not sure I signed up for all that. Death defying devotion ? I think you have me confused with that vampire that all the girls are swooning over."

She shrugged. " And here I am just waiting for you to confess to being a blood sucking fend."

He moved, too quickly for her to keep up, picking her up and depositing her in the middle of the blanket before stretching himself over her. His mouth went to her neck and he began to suck on the side of it harder than he knew was wise. When she squirmed under him, he pulled back and laughed. "I'll show you a blood sucking fend."

He was done talking now, done with words all together. His hand moved over the material of her dress, soft and satiny under his fingers, he reveled in the feel of it as he cupped her breasts into his palm. She arched her back into his touch and he took it as an invitation to attack her chest with his lips. She felt so hot under his exploring her mouth, her flushed skin nearly burning his lips when they brushed over her. She tasted like honey, or maybe chocolate, he wasn't sure which, but he was certain it was the most decadent thing he'd every experienced. Her fingers tightened in her hair, pulling it as they curled into fists and sending a shiver down his entire body.

" I love you." He whispered before finding her lips again and delving between them with his tongue.

" Patrick," She murmured when he pulled away and trailed his mouth along her jaw.

He felt her leg came up and fold around his waist, holding him securely against the lower half of her body. He took the opportunity to grind his hips into hers, eliciting a long, drawn out moan from somewhere deep in her chest.

He was so completely lost in her he didn't understand when her whole body tensed under his and her hands started pushing at his shoulders.  
" What ?" He asked, finally letting her push him away.

" Did you hear that ?" She panted, struggling to sit up.

He came up to his knees, listening intently for the noise she heard. Then it came to him.

Voices, closer than he was comfortable with and gaining on them quickly. They weren't quiet voices and they certainly weren't the voices of some innocent campers inadvertently intruding on their spot. No, it was two man's voices, low and menacing, a hint of anger and threat lacing every word. He couldn't make out what they were saying yet, but the intention was perfectly clear.

He got up quickly and dragged Kat to her feet beside him. Then he snatched up the blanket and pulled her off into a dark corner of the cave. She brought her body in close to his as if using him as a shield and her tiny hands curled around the lapels of his vest again, this time in fear instead of passion.

" It's okay." He told her. " I'm sure they aren't coming in here.

His gut clenched when he realized he was wrong. They were in fact entering the cave. Two men with another being dragged between them. The man in the middle was squirming and struggling against the two that held him without much success.

Patrick pulled Kat into him harder and willed her to stay as quiet as possible. He could feel her shaking against him and he brought his hand up to her hair, trying to sooth her without words.

" Where is the stuff, Lenny ?" One of the men asked as they dropped the third man into a heap at their feet, right in the exact location of where their blanket had been only moments before.

" I don't have it. I told you already. Some guy jacked me for it in the park." Lenny sobbed.

" We don't care about excuses." The other man said, putting his foot over Lenny's hand which was stretched out in front of him as he tried to stand. He ground his heel down and Patrick heard something crack before Lenny jerked his hand back and howled in pain.

Kat tensed in his arms and he held her firmly.

" We either need our stuff or we need the six grand you owe us for our stuff." The first man said, quietly. " Those are your only two options right now."

It was then that he produced a gun from the folds of his jacket. Patrick barely had a chance to put his hand over Kat's mouth before she could scream. But it was too late. The men had heard the movement and they were whirling around to find its source.

Panic seized him as he search for any option for them. Luckily he had secured them away in the corner closest to the entrance of the cave. With no other choice left for him, he clutched her hand tightly in his and gave her a yank before shouting, " Run!"


	13. Chapter 13

Kat felt her shoulder socket jerk as Patrick yanked her along behind him. She hadn't expected the mad dash towards the cave entrance so the surprise took her breath as he hauled her along with him. She could feel her fingernails digging into the soft flesh of his palm. Then the most terrifying sound she had ever heard rang out through the stillness of the night as they found the entrance and dashed through it. The gunshot echoed off the cave walls and reverberated back at them. The flash of the gunpowder exploded, temporally blinding her as she tried to stumble along to keep up.

She felt her dress tear on the rough wall of the cave as they dashed out into the moonlight. Patrick was pulling her along, seemingly with a plan in mind, so she followed, terror alone making her feet move. She stumbled again and realized it was because she had lost one of her heels in the commotion.

Patrick cast his eyes behind him, trying to figure out why she was hesitating.

" My shoe." She told him, though she couldn't even hear the words as they left her mouth. Her ears were still ringing with the sound of the shot that had been fired at them.

He seemed to understand, even though she was pretty sure he couldn't hear either at that point. He grabbed her into him and shoved her towards a large outcropping of undergrowth, hoping it would be enough to hide them for a moment. Once there, he reached into his pocket, withdrew a small knife and grabbed her foot.

For a moment she thought about jerking her leg from his hands. She had an idea of what he was planning and the thought of Bianca finding out he had destroyed her shoes made her wince. Then she realized how silly the thought was and let him do what needed to be done. There wasn't time for buckles. He slashed through the strap with amazing agility and let the first shoe drop. Then he grabbed for the one missing it's heel and gave it the same treatment.

They stood there silently for a moment. She watched as his eyes scanned the landscape, trying to ascertain where their pursers might be. Then his gaze seem to land somewhere not too far away. She was still too terrified to look herself, choosing instead to clutch to his vest and concentrate on the rising and falling of his panting breath.

_Shit_, she thought, absurdly, _there were people chasing them. People, mean, evil people were shooting at them. _It was as if her mind was finally catching up to reality and it only served to amplify her panic.

She watched a curse fall from Patrick's lips and she dared to take her eyes from his face so she could see the cause of his displeasure.

A policeman was coming towards them, followed by another. They were both dressed in their uniforms and they had their guns out, scanning the area as they searched for the source of the trouble.

Elation and relief filled her. Help had arrived. They hadn't even need to call. They had come all on their own.

Then the panic was back as she took in the scowl across Patrick's face. He certainly didn't look relieved or elated.

And suddenly she realized why. The police hadn't had time to get there yet. Even if someone had heard the shot and called.

" Are those the men that were in the cave ?" She asked in a combination of relief that her hearing was returning and dread that she already knew the answer.

He grabbed her to him and held her tightly against his chest, answering her with a slight nod as his eyes stayed fixed on the men that were looking for them.

" Why are the police shooting at us ? Aren't they supposed to be the good guys ?"

" Supposed to be doesn't always make it true." He muttered into her hair. " We need to run for it again. Can you do it ?"

She nodded numbly still trying to wrap her mind around what was happening. They were on the run from the police. Policemen were chasing them, intent on shooting them, in fact. The desperation of their situation was starting to dawn on her and she felt tears stinging her eyes.

_Don't do this now, Kat._ She told herself. _You have to keep it together until you're safe. Then you can have your hissy. _

" We're going to run for the car, okay ?" Patrick said, letting her go so he could look her in the eye. "I want you to stay close to me. You go first but don't get more than a step ahead of me."

She understood immediately what he was thinking. There was a wide expanse of open landscape between them and the car. It would be a dangerous run, giving the men plenty of time to shoot at them if they wanted. Patrick was planning on using himself as a shield for her just in case they took the opportunity.

" There's got to be another way. We'll go around and double back." She suggested, immediately vetoing his plan.

" We have to get out of here, Kat. The car is the best option." He argued.

" Wait!" She whispered urgently as a streak of brilliance came to her. She had her phone. They could call for help.

" What ?" He hissed, quickly losing patience with her.

" My phone. I have my phone." She told him as her mind tried to remember where she'd put her purse.

" You mean the one in your purse which is still in the cave ?" He asked, while she was still trying to work through the dilemma.

She nodded as her face fell. " Yeah, that one." She took a deep breath. " So the car it is. I assume you know how to hot wire it."

" What ?" He demanded. " Why would you assume that ?"

" You're the one with the reputation." She shrugged. " If you don't know how to hot wire the car, then I don't see how the car is going to do us much good since you gave me the keys when we got here and I put them in my purse."

" Fuck !" He exclaimed as he pulled his hand through his hair.

" Language." She chided him and instantly regretted it because of the scalding look he gave her.

" Fine." He rolled his eyes. " Fiddlesticks !"

She almost laughed. The sound was practically perched on the tip of her tongue. But another sound override it and it caused her blood to turn to ice.

" Katherine Stratford of 410 Huntington Lane." The menacing voice of one of the policemen rang out into the night.

" Fuck!" Kat exclaimed quietly.

" See," Patrick whispered as he grabbed her tighter. " Sometimes the situation just calls for it."

" I know you're out here somewhere, Miss Stratford." The man continued. " You can come out. We don't want to hurt you. We're the police. We're the good guys."

" That isn't what Lenny told me." She muttered under her breath and it caused Patrick's chest to shake. She glanced at his face to see he was laughing at her attempt at humor.

" You can't hide forever." The other man joined his partner. " You have to come out eventually."

They paced around the beach for a few more moments, searching for a hint to their location.

" I'm done playing with the children." The first policeman spat. " Why don't you go over to 410 Huntington Lane and find me something to inspire more cooperation ?" He told the other man.

Kat froze and looked up at Patrick's face in a full out panic. " My father!" She hissed. " Bianca."

" They're just bluffing to get us to come out." Patrick tried to reassure her, but the look on his face said he didn't believe it any more than she did.

Another voice joined the commotion around them. " Look, man, they're just some kids looking for a place to screw. Let 'em go. I'll tell you everything I know about the guy that took your stuff." Lenny was pleading their case with the officer and Kat felt a sudden rush of gratitude towards the swarmy little dealer.

" Alright, then, tell me about this guy." The officer said, putting his eyes on Lenny instead of the landscape while his partner still scanned through the trees.

" Yeah, let me think." Lenny stalled, shifting from one foot to the other. " He was tall. I remember that, a big guy. I mean a really big guy. Two-fifty at least." He paused to swipe a bead of sweat from his forehead. " And dark hair. He had a goatee and a tattoo."

" What kind of tattoo ?" The partner said, temporally giving up his search.

" It was an eagle with this ribbon thing in its mouth and the ribbon had a word on it."

Kat felt Patrick tense under her hands and she glanced away from the drama unfolding in front of them to give him her attention.

" What is it?" She whispered. " Do you know who he's talking about ?"

" The word, Lenny, what word did it have on the ribbon ?" The first officer was prompting as he gestured threateningly with his gun.

" Maggie."

Patrick clenched his eyes closed and Kat felt his heart falter in its beat.

" Who is Maggie ?" She hissed as loudly as she thought was safe.

Patrick glanced down at her as if suddenly remembering she was there. " My mother." He answered on a breath.

She was so caught up in him, she wasn't paying attention to the men outside of there sanctuary. But she quickly remembered as Patrick's hand came up and cupped the back of her head. He hauled her face into his chest and did his best to cover her ears with his hands a moment before another gunshot rang through the night. Her entire body jerked at the noise and her ears were ringing again, though this time not quite as loudly since they were further away from the shot.

In fact she found she could hear just find when the first policeman bellowed, " Now find those kids so we can get out of here and look for this guy."

Her eyes were clenched tightly closed and her head was still buried in Patrick's chest. When she tried to pull away so she could see the scene in front of them, he held her tighter and refused to loosen his grip. The panic was back now. What was he trying to keep her from seeing ? A sinking thought started to infiltrate the corners of her reasoning and suddenly she knew without having to look what was out there.

" They shot Lenny ?" She asked, though it was muffled by his shirt.

He held her head tighter and soothed her hair for a moment.

Taking a deep breath to steal herself she forcefully stepped out of his arms and purposefully averted her eyes from where the policemen were still standing. " We have to get out of here, Patrick. Let's make a run for the road. If we can make it there, maybe someone will pick us up."

" Then what ? What do we do then ? They know who you are and where to find you. They know what my stepfather looks like and he has a record. Its just a matter of time before they run his description and get a name." He insisted, heading into his own panic attack.

" Well, we can't wait around here to get caught. We'll end up like Lenny and I for one am not in the mood to die tonight. A hole and bloodstains will ruin this dress." She countered.

"Maybe we can get their stuff back. Trade it for them leaving us alone." He suggested.

" How do you propose we do that ?"

" We go to my place. I'll make my stepfather give me the drugs and we'll give them over to these guys."

" Because they seem so trustworthy. I'm sure they won't just kill us the second they have their drugs in their hands." She spat.

" It'll give us some time at least. We can come up with a better plan later. This way they'll stop shooting us for a minute anyway."

Before she had a chance to protest this idiocy of his plan further, Patrick eased out of the undergrowth with his hands in the air.

" I know where your drugs are." He announced as the first police immediately leveled his gun at Patrick's chest. " If you'll give me a chance, I'll get them and bring them back to you."

Both men were on him now, both guns aimed at him. Kat's head swam as reason abandoned her. She grabbed hold of a limb from the nearest bush and held in tightly in an attempt to fight against her instincts. Because at the moment her instincts wanted her to throw herself between the approaching men and Patrick. Her instinct was to save him by any means necessary.

" Right kid," The first man sneered. " And we're supposed to believe you because...."

Patrick shrugged and Kat was amazed at how nonchalantly he stood there while the two killers advanced on him. The tightness of his jaw was the only outward sign that he was distress at all by his situation.

" Because, it's a chance for you to get what you want and I've got nothing to lose. You can find me easily enough if I chose to run and it's not like I can call for help. You'd know as soon as I made the call. Who are the rest of the cops going to believe, two officers like yourselves or some kid with a habit for getting into trouble ?" He explained quickly, still with his arms held up in front of him.

The second cop eyed the first one, considering Patrick's plea. " He has a point."

" The girl stays here with us until you get back." The first said threateningly.

Patrick immediately shook his head. " No, the girl comes with me."

The first man picked up the point of his gun moving his aim from Patrick's chest to his head. " I could just shot you and get my own stuff." He reasoned. " You really aren't in any position to negotiate."

" She stays with me." Patrick told him through gritted teeth. " Or you can just shot me and take the chance or having nothing to find once you track down the man that took your drugs. You know users, man, the longer you wait the more chance of him shooting it all before you can get to him."

" You're Verona, right ?" The second cop said, stepping closer to Patrick. " I've picked you up before. Some petty little vandalism thing."

" Yeah, you have." Patrick nodded. " So you know I don't have anywhere to run from you. You know me, you know my girlfriend. You know where to find both of us if we don't keep our end of the deal."

" One hour." The first cop finally relented. " You have one hour to get back here with our stuff, or we pay a visit to your family and," He gestured towards the bushes where Kat was hiding. " hers."

" Two." Patrick countered. " I'm going to need time to get there and get away with it."

The man huffed impatiently. " Fine, two. But not a second more than that."

_Two hours_, Kat thought as Patrick turned to her and gestured for her to join him. _One hundred and twenty minutes. _She felt as if someone had just started a timer on her life, or flipped over an hour glass. She could practically see the sand sifting slowly towards the bottom as they got her purse from the officers and went towards her car.


	14. Chapter 14

Patrick reached over and took Kat's hand in his as he drove down the street. It was beginning to sprinkle and tiny drops of water were landing haphazardly on the windshield, not enough to turn the wipers on yet, but enough to notice.

Her hand was icy against his palm and her eyes were wide with a brand new surge of panic. He wondered what she was thinking.

She didn't belong in the middle of all this. This was his world, not hers. She shouldn't be here, shouldn't be anywhere near all the filth and degradation that made up his life. She was too innocent, too pure for this life. He had known that all along. Part of his draw to her was the fact that she was so removed from the shit he put up with everyday. He hadn't meant to sully her, to taint her with the dirt that he had inherited.

" I'm taking you home. I'll deal with all this." He announced, making the decision on the spot.

She shot a look at him that made him, at first, think she would agree with his decision. But then her head started to shake, sending tendrils of loosened curls around her shoulders. " I'm not leaving you." Her mouth moved slowly around the words as if they were difficult for her to say. " Besides I'm no safer at home. They know where I live."

" You're safer there than you are with me and if I do what I said I would, which I plan to, they'll have no reason to go to your house." He reasoned.

" Patrick," Her hand curled into a fist inside his larger hand. " We both know they'll still come. Getting them their drugs won't make us safe. It'll just make us – Lenny." He thought he saw the beginnings of tears in her eyes, but it was hard to tell in the dim light from the dashboard so he ignored it. He wasn't exactly sure how she would want him to react to her crying in front of him, anyway. It was so out of character for her.

" We'll think of something." He tried to reassure her as he spied his house coming into view at the end of the block.

There were several cars parked along the road and Patrick felt his own sense of panic when he realized his stepfather was having a party. That shot the odds of them actually getting the drugs back down to nearly zero.

" Does he do this often ?" Kat asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

" Does who do what ?"

" Your stepfather, does he normally steal drugs from people in the park ?"

He shrugged. " It isn't unheard of for him. This whole thing is like a game to him. He's been playing it since he was our age."

" That's what you meant when you said your mother only has an opinion if he gives her one, right ? He's got her messed up too?"

" It started right after they started dating." He confirmed for her. " She never did drugs before, at least not that I know of. He started her off on weed. She became an instant pothead. I thought, wow ! This is great. She can't very well complain if I get stoned when she does it, too." He laughed to himself. " But it got worse, quick. Pretty soon the weed just wasn't enough for her anymore. Jeff, my stepfather, started giving her other crap, meth, smack, coke, whatever he could find. I was actually in the house the first night they tried X together. It was disgusting, the noises they were making." He shuddered at the memory. " That was the night I found the cave. I had to get out of there."

She turned in her seat and gave him a watery, sympathetic smile. " I'm so sorry, Patrick."

" Don't be sorry." He told her, finding an empty space three houses down from his. " I don't want you to feel sorry for me."

She huffed in annoyance. " I didn't say I feel sorry for you. I said I'm sorry you have to deal with all this. There's a difference."

He opened the door and got out, leaving her sitting in the car to wait for him. Then he leaned down and stuck his head in the window. " Pity is pity. Doesn't matter what fancy words you use to justify it."

He started walking towards the house, but stopped when he heard her car door shut and he turned around to find her hot on his heels.

" You aren't coming with me for this." He told her firmly.

" Yes, I am." She insisted.

" Kat, get back in the car. We don't have time to argue."

" Then stop arguing. I'm coming, end of story."

She planted her hands on her hips and looked at him defiantly. He was suddenly very glad not to be Walter Stratford. He never wanted to have to contend with a daughter that was capable of that look. It must be hell for the poor man.

" You are not coming, that is the end of this story. This could get nasty. It certainly will be dangerous and I don't want to have to worry about where you are if I need to make a run for it." He rattled off the lists of a things that made this a bad idea.

She dropped her hands and her eyes, letting them land somewhere near her feet. " Please don't make me stay out here alone." She told him, her voice so fragile and quiet it was like delicate glass.

He caved. Of course, he caved, how could he not. It was impossible with her looking at him like that and sounding so vulnerable. If she asked him to fly, with that look and sounding that breakable, he'd be jumping off the nearest building, flapping his arms like an idiot and giving it his best shot.

" Stay close to me. And I mean close. I don't want to lose sight of you for a second." He told her, taking her hand in his.

" Well, maybe for a second." She smiled at seeing him relent.

" No, not even for a second." He shook his head.

" But I have to pee." She whined and he almost laughed in spite of himself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Patrick moved into the house as stealthily as possible, holding onto Kat the entire time. He nodded to several of the many people milling around his living room, hoping they were doing a descent job of blending in with the rest of the crowd. He lead her down a hall and stopped at the door just before his room.

" Bathroom." He nodded towards the opened door. " Hurry."

She darted inside and he closed the door behind her, holding onto the knob and guarding it carefully.

When he felt it jerk in his hand a few minutes later, he let her pull it open and step out.

" That was quick." He told her, pulling her back against his chest as they started back down the hall.

" You said hurry." She answered.

" Yeah, usually for girls that means five minutes instead of ten." He explained.

" I'm not a typical girl. I don't need to mess around. I've been doing it for years. I've gotten pretty quick at it, actually." She answered as they maneuvered around a couple trying to sit together in a straight-back dining room chair and eat each other's faces.

" They're probably in here." He nodded towards a room off the cluttered, messy kitchen.

Several empty liquor bottles and turned over beer cans littered the island. A stack of dishes filled both sides of the sink and a trash can was overflowing in the corner.

A thought suddenly occurred to her as she looked around the crowded house. " Where is Spock ?"

Patrick glanced around himself, searching for his dog under all the feet. When he didn't see him, his eyes widened and his back stiffened in anger.

This had happened before during one of their little parties. He banged on the shut bedroom door where he was sure his parents were holed up. Not waiting for an answer, he opened it in a rush and looked around the tiny, smoky room, letting his eyes adjust to the sudden dimness.

" Where is my dog ?" He shouted, temporarily forgetting about the actual reason he was there. There were few things he really cherished in the world and the dog was one of them.

His mother jumped up, removing herself from where she had been sprawled over Jeff, his stepfather. Patrick tried to avert his eyes from the slight of the enormously overweight man sitting on the bed shirtless. Several rolls of fat shifted as he sat up a little straighter. His dark eyes took Patrick and Kat in with a dangerous glare. A mirrored tray sat beside him on the bed with several white lines raked out across the surface.

" I thought I told you not to come back here." His stepfather said coolly.

" Yeah, well I've been here a lot longer than you," Patrick shrugged. " So I ignored you. Now where is my dog ?"

His mother, dressed in a pair of ripped, dirty jeans and a shirt that looked ragged and filthy came to him and tried to grab his arm. He jerked it away and she turned her head quickly sending an array of stringy, bleached blond hair around her shoulders. He tried not to look to closely at the dark circles under her eyes or the pallor of her skin. She had always been such a beautiful woman, so elegant and graceful. He wanted to grab her and shake her. He wanted to scream at her to look at herself and what this dirt bag she was married to was doing to her. But he didn't do any of those things. He was too angry to get into anything with her at the moment. He would inevitably end up saying something he didn't mean or worse something he did.

" He's in your room, Sweetheart. I put him in there to keep him out from under everyone's feet." She told him in a voice that didn't sound anything like her.

" I wanted to shoot the damn thing, but she wouldn't let me." Jeff added from his lounging position on the bed.

His mother sniffled and rubbed her hand across her nose hastily as if trying to hide any evidence of her state of mind from her son and the girl he'd brought home. " Who's your friend ?" His mother asked, reaching out to take Kat's hand.

Patrick quickly stepped in the way and gritted his teeth. " You don't get to touch her. Not like this. You don't even get to meet her like this."

He felt Kat move in closer to his back and he put his arm around behind him in a way of some reassurance for her. He knew she should have stayed in the car.

" I need the drugs you stole from the guy in the park." He held out his hand as Jeff sat up all the way. "Please don't bother. I know you took them." His eyes flashed to the eagle tattoo on Jeff's upper arm with the name Maggie written across a banner in its mouth. It was old and a little faded and the globs of cellulite weren't doing the artist's work any justice but it was there.

" I wasn't going to say I didn't. The little weasel was an easy mark and I took the opportunity." Jeff shrugged as if jacking drugs from a greasy slim ball was the most common place thing in the world. Kat inched closer to him still and he winced at her reaction.

" The little weasel was just shot in front of us by the cops who owned those drugs. Now I need to get them back to them before they come after us." Patrick explained tersely.

His mother actually did grab his arm this time and he wasn't fast enough to pull away, especially since Kat was now practically clinging to his shoulders. " Are you alright, Sweetie ? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

" I'm fine." He assured her without really looking at her as he attempted to shake her off his arm. " I just need the drugs so I can get them back to them."

" Well, I guess that's your problem, because I don't have them. I sold most of them." Jeff answered, rising up a little and trying to look past Patrick to Kat.

" You Ass, just give him the damn drugs." Patrick's mother hissed at her husband. " He's going to get hurt."

Jeff got up from the bed with a bit of a struggle, the broken down mattress not aiding his attempt and his fat causing problems as well. He came up to his full height and walked over to Patrick's mother. In a move that was faster than the large man seemed capable of, he struck out, landing the back of his hand across Maggie's lip. " I'll let you know when I need your opinion on a matter." Then with a bit of a stagger, he came towards Patrick. " Now, let's see, maybe we can work something out." When he got to him, he tried to reach around and grab hold of Kat. Patrick put himself between them quickly. He had expected the move. It was one of the many reasons he hadn't wanted Kat anywhere near Jeff.

" If you try to touch her again," Patrick said, his teeth gritted, his voice low and deadly, " you won't leave this room in one piece."

" Do you really think you can stop me, tough guy ?" Jeff asked, poking his chest out menacingly.

" I stopped you last time I wanted to with no problem." Patrick told him with all confidence that he could make it happen again. " You remember that, don't you ?"

Jeff took an unsteady step back and eyed him carefully. " Oh, I remember it. Your mother remembers it, too."

Patrick winced as Jeff grabbed her and hauled her shirt up enough to show off the bruises on her chest. He wasn't sure if he was more disgusted by the discolored flesh or the fact that he could clearly see her every last one of her ribs in detail. The saggy skin that covered them was pale and frighteningly thin. It was the first time he'd actually seen how bony she had become.

" This is what happens when you piss me off and you aren't around to take it out on. Someone has to pay, after all." Jeff boosted.

" Let her go. You're hurting her." Kat shouted from behind him and Patrick nearly spun around in shock.

She so should have stayed in the car.

He hadn't even noticed his mother struggling in Jeff's grasp until Kat yelled. But his eyes quickly shot to her face and he could clearly see the pain etched there.

" Wow, you have yourself one with a little bite in her. I could cure that for you, if you want." Jeff offered.

It happened before he knew what was going on. Kat just rushed out from behind him and threw herself with all her weight into his stepfather. He didn't know what to do at first. They were just a scrambled up mess of arms and legs and he couldn't tell who's appendage belonged to whom. Then a beautifully rounded shoulder caught his eye a second before she staggered back into him with a trail of blood leaking from her lip.

It was the blood, he was pretty sure. Looking back on what had caused the blind rage that consumed him, he was almost certain it was seeing Kat bloody and knowing Jeff had been the cause of it.

Fists swinging and legs kicking at anything that moved, he grabbed hold of Kat and almost tossed her out of the way before barreling into his stepfather with everything he had. Jeff fought back against him, swinging out with his own fist and actually connecting a time or two. He saw his mother out of the corner of his eye. Kat had her by the arm, pulling her free of the tangle and hauling her to safety. He was grateful for that. He didn't want to accidentally get her instead of his intended target.

His breath rushed out of his lungs as one of Jeff's beefy legs caught him square in the chest. How he had managed to lift it that far was still a mystery as Patrick's ass connected to the floor for a moment. Realizing he had landed a direct hit, Patrick's stepfather reared back and kicked him again, in the same spot, this time sending him toppling over sideways.

He tried to get up, knew he needed to get to his feet and quickly. Jeff took the opportunity to get to the women cowering in the far corner trying to stay out of the flay.

He watched in horror as Jeff reached out and took hold of Kat's arm. " Let her go!" He ground out around a mouthful of blood.

" Doesn't really look like you're in much of a position to make demands, Kid." Jeff told him.

Patrick sat up, rather shakily and tried to balance himself despite the fact that his head was swimming. Slowly getting his feet under him, he was propelled upright by the sound of Kat whimpering quietly. When his eyes finally found them again, Jeff had her in a sort of choke hold with her back pressed into his chest and one arm around her shoulder holding her in place while the other moved up her side.

" Now like I was saying, maybe we can work something out. I like this one. She's feisty." He grabbed a handful of her hair, which was now completely undone and falling around her shoulders and yanked it behind her. " What's your name, Sweet thing ?"

" Kat." She spat at him as she struggled against his hold.

" How fitting." Jeff smirked. " I wonder how long it would take to de-claw you, Kitty Kat."

Kat lunged her elbow into Jeff's stomach. " No one calls me Kitty Kat !" She lashed out at him, only causing him to tighten his hold further.

Patrick had used the temporary distraction to get his feet under him and came to his full height. He tried to draw in a few lungfuls of air and was glad to not feel much pain in doing so.  
" I told you to let her go." He repeated with a lot more volume that he had before.

" And I told you to piss off. I'm done talking with you. This is between me and the pretty little girl here. "

Patrick found his mother's eyes and silently pleaded with her to do something as Jeff's hand came up to cup the underside of Kat's breast. His mother looked away from him as soon as he looked at her. They fell to the floor and she stared at her feet in shame.

Giving up on getting any help, he began to cast his eyes around the room. Sober he could take Jeff with no problem but hyped up on cocaine was a different story and he couldn't take the chance of losing. Losing was unacceptable, losing would mean leaving Kat alone with him.

He glanced everywhere, finally letting his eyes dart over the cluttered desk in the corner of the room.

When he did, he spied it. It wasn't much, just a tazer very similar to the one Kat kept in her purse. He wondered for a moment why she hadn't brought hers along for the night. That would have been helpful.

Easing towards the desk, he kept his eye on Jeff who was still struggling with a very vicious Kat in his arms. She wasn't backing down. She wasn't giving up and he was sure Jeff would have the bruises in the morning to prove it.

" Look man, I know you want me gone." Patrick said, stalling for time as he got closer to the tazer. " I know I put a huge damper on your lifestyle. If you'll just give me the drugs and let her go, I'll leave and you'll never see me again."

He was at the desk now and he paused to watch as Jeff mauled over his offer. Then his hand formed around the handle of the devise and he lifted it slowly, adjusting it in his palm until it felt right.

" I have a better idea. Why don't I keep the drugs, I'll keep the girl and you can go and never came back again." Jeff countered.

" I'm not leaving without her." Patrick shook his head. " You'll have to kill me first."

" Ah, how about that!" Jeff exclaimed, finally getting Kat under control he turned his head towards Maggie. " This one's different from the others he's brought here. I think he's got a girlfriend."

Maggie looked up and Patrick watched as she caught Kat's eye for a moment. The look they exchanged was hard to read, but he could tell Maggie didn't like what she saw because she immediately looked back down to the floor.

" Seriously ?" Patrick said finally, no longer able to stomach his mother's behavior. " You have stood by while this piece of shit tried to beat the shit out of me. You're let him beat the shit out of you. And now you're just going to stand there while he tries to negotiate for the ownership of my girlfriend ? Are you even my mother anymore ?"

" Just let her go, Jeff." Maggie finally joined the conversation. "Why do you want her anyway ?"

Jeff turned to give her an evil smile. " I want some fresh meat. I'm tired of the ground beef I usually get. I thought maybe I could go for a steak."

Maggie made a move for him, sinking her teeth into the arm that was holding Kat to his chest. Kat took the opportunity to spin around and get her hands up to Jeff's throat. With one woman biting into his arm and the other pushing at his throat with everything in her, he stumbled, nearly falling backwards even as his arms flailed out around him trying to grab hold of either of his attackers.

Patrick dashed in, grabbed both women and threw them off of his stepfather before hitting the trigger on the tazer and sinking it into his massive stomach.

Jeff twitched where he landed on the floor and Patrick stood over him long enough to confirm that he was in fact down at least for the moment. His first thought after that was Kat.

He turned around, searching for her and finding her sprawled on the floor trying to right herself and get to her feet. His next thought at seeing she was okay was his mother. He found her, too, mostly unharmed and getting to her feet as well.

" Is he dead ?" Maggie asked coming up to Patrick and putting her hand on his arm.

" No, he's just out. I need to get you both out of here."

Kat came to him and immediately wrapped her arms around his waist. She tucked her head into his shoulder and he leaned down to kiss her softly. " Are you okay ?" He asked searching her face with concern.  
" I'm fine. What an asshole though." She muttered. Then looked up at his mother sheepishly. " I'm sorry."

" No," Maggie shook her head. " You're right. He's an asshole."

" Are you alright ?" Kat asked, letting her hands glide over his chest as if checking for anything out of place.

" I'll be alright." He tried to hid the anger and disgust as he turned his face to his mother. " How about you. Are you okay ?"

He watched in disbelief as his mother sank down to the floor beside her husband and began to smooth the hair from his face. " He'll be okay, won't he ?"

" Mom!" Patrick snapped at her. But she refused to look up. " You've got to be kidding me."

She snatched her eyes up to Patrick's face and what he saw looking back at him was truly the most pitiful thing he'd ever seen. " He's my husband." She tried to reason.

" And I'm your son. I guess that doesn't mean as much." He huffed. " But then I'm not your dealer, too."

She was about to say something else, but Patrick cut her off by raising his hand. " Are you going to give me the drugs or do you care that people are thinking about killing me ?"

" In the top drawer of the night stand." She muttered as she went back to fawning over her fallen love. " I don't think you should come back here tonight."

" I don't plan on coming back here until he's gone. I'm just going to grab some stuff and I'll be gone." He reached into the nightstand and grabbed a wadded up paper bag. Taking a quick glance inside, he saw what he was hoping to find and jabbed the sack into his pants pocket before giving his mother one last look.  
Then he shook his head and went to the door, stopping once her was there to put his arm around Kat again. Then he looked at his mother one last time. " Dad would be so proud." He muttered loud enough for her to hear him before leaving the room and slamming the door behind him.

" Oh God, Patrick." Kat whispered into his shoulder, when she stopped outside the door for long enough to put her arm around him and hold him tightly.

" Oh great. Just what I was hoping for, more pity." He mumbled even as his arms went around her and he held her against him.

" But this time it isn't for you, it's for her. We should get her to come with us. There is no telling what he'll do when he wakes up." Kat insisted. " We can't just leave her there to deal with him."

" She's where she wants to be." He shook his head.

" She isn't in her right mind." Kat argued.

" You don't think I know that." He spat, feeling the anger rising in him and knowing it wasn't directed at her, but at his own feeling of helplessness. " That isn't my mother in there. Once she was a lot like you."

Kat's eyes widened suddenly and he knew he had said something wrong but he had no idea what it was. Something changed in her face and she drew away from him hurriedly. " Can we get out of here ?"

" Yeah, just let me grab a few things and check on my dog." He told her concerned over the sudden change in her.

" We should bring him with us." Kat announced. " He can stay with at my house until you find a place for him."

" Are you sure ?" He asked, stopping in his tracks and turning to look at her.

" I'm sure. We have a huge backyard and we may have to leave your mother here with that monster, but we shouldn't leave him here. He's even more defenseless than she is." She told him.

" Thank you." He said in all sincerity. He didn't want to leave the dog with Jeff. It would be just like him to shot him in the morning to get back at Patrick for the night's events. He'd done it before. Patrick had managed to get the dog to the vet in time and Jeff wasn't a great shot, but Spock was older now and his chances of survival were much slimmer. " Jeff shot him once before." Patrick told her, not understanding why he felt the need to share the information with her. " We got into it. I jumped him because he was beating up on Mom. The next day while I was at school, he shot him. I got home just in time to get him to the vets. Had to steal his car to do it, but I got him there."

Kat stopped walking this time. " He shot your dog ?"

" Right in the shoulder. I had to work for the vet for a month to pay off the bill." Patrick nodded as he opened his bedroom door.

Spock looked up from the center of Patrick's bed as soon as the door opened. Patrick went to him and patted him on the head, causing Spock's entire body to shake with the wagging of his tail.

" How long have you had him ?" Kat asked, shutting the door behind her.

" Since I was ten. The last thing my Dad ever gave me." He answered. " We should hurry. I want to be gone before the asshole wakes up and we are running out of time."

Kat glanced at her watch in horror as she suddenly remembered they were on a tight schedule.

" What can I grab ?"

" Just a few of those notebook there on the desk." Patrick said as he began hauling armloads of clothes into a backpack. Once he got everything he could manage, he patted his leg and Spock got to his feet lazily.

He followed them as they made their way out the door. Then he stayed right on their heels as the moved down the sidewalk towards Kat's car.

Opening the backdoor, Patrick paused before inviting the dog inside. " Are you really sure about this ? He sheds, you know."

" Yeah," Kat answered. " There have been far worse things in the backseat of my car. Cameron James threw up back there once."

" Seriously ?" Patrick raised his eyebrow at her and patted the seat for the dog. Spock jumped up stiffly and paced around the seat for a minute before finding a spot to lay down.

" Yeah, seriously." Kat answered getting into the passenger seat. " Took me forever to get the smell out."

Once Patrick was behind the wheel and pulling out onto the road, Kat put her hand on his leg and gave him a small smile.

" Where will you stay ?" She asked, quietly.

" The cave probably." He shrugged. " Or Keith's."

" Maybe we can talk to my dad. We have a guestroom downstairs." She offered.

" Right, he's going to let me move in knowing I'm your boyfriend." he rolled his eyes at her.

" Alright, but not the cave. If you have nowhere else to go, my window's always opened for you."

" We can't keep that up. It's just a matter of time before we get caught and I won't take that chance." He tried to explain to her as nicely as he could. He wanted her father to like him. It was important to him for some reason. He didn't know why for sure, but we needed the man's approval and finding Patrick in his daughter's bed was certainly no way to go about it.

" I've been thinking about my dad actually." She said out of the blue.

" What about him ?"

" We should go to him. Tell him everything. He can help us." She told him. " He'll understand."

" Dr. Stratford, I was trying to have sex with your daughter in this cave by the beach and these policemen came in and shot this guy right in front of us over drugs then they threatened you and your other daughter." Patrick monologued. " Yeah, that ought to do it. He might even call me son by the end of that speech."

Kat laughed. " You have a point but we're running out of time."

" I think I might know someone that can help." Patrick mumbled not even wanting to contemplate what it would cost him to seek out the help they needed.

" Who ?"

" My grandfather."


	15. Chapter 15

They rode in silence, each them lost in the events that had just transpired. Kat wished she had taken his advice now and just stayed in the car. The horrors of his life were almost too much for her to digest. She hadn't known things were that bad for him. He told her once that his stepfather was a jackass. She thought he was just saying the man was strict, like her father. Or maybe harder than him than he deserved. She had no idea it was so awful.

She couldn't help but reach her hand out and place it on his leg. It was the only comfort she could offer him while they drove along and she desperately wished she could do more for him. She wanted to help him. She wanted to make everything alright with him. The whole thing at his house was the most awful thing she'd every witnessed and it broke her heart to know that he had to put up with that kind of thing on a daily basis.

He dropped his hand from the wheel and covered hers with it, giving it a squeeze before glancing at her with a rueful smile. " I'm sorry about all that." He told her.

" You have nothing to be sorry for." She assured him. " I wish there was something I could do to help. No one should have to put with all that."

He picked her hand up and brought it to his lip. His lips brushed her palm before he settled it back on his leg. " You do help. You help all the time."

" How ? All I do is make your life even more miserable." She argued, immediately regretting every harsh word and misplaced assumption she had ever made about him.

" Now that's not true. It helps to know that someone like you is obsessed with me." He chuckled. "And you offered my dog a place to stay. That's something."

She glanced behind them at the mutt currently drooling on her seat. How the hell was she ever going to explain that to her father ? She pushed the thought aside. He would just have to understand. She hadn't had a choice. She couldn't leave the dog there to be killed. She couldn't leave something important to Patrick behind in that house.

" I still think we should talk to my father. He'll know what to do." She told him, once again trying to think of anything to get them out of their current dilemma.

" I'm not okay with being banned from your life. Remember I'm a little obsessed with you, too. Besides, I doubt the convent allows visitation and there's that whole vow of abstinence that you are definitely not allowed to take."

She laughed. " It's okay. I wouldn't really do it. I'd cross my fingers the whole time."

He laughed with her. " You are so going to hell."

She shrugged. " I didn't want you to be lonely there all by yourself."

" Wow, you'd follow me to hell. Now that is undying devotion." He teased.

She felt the smile drop from her face as she realized just how much she really cared about him. It was like a heavy weight sitting in the pit of her stomach and she squeezed his leg and lowered her voice. "I'd follow you anywhere, I think."

" I love you." He told her in way of an answer after he spent a few minutes just looking from her to the road in front of them.

" I love you, too." She replied, before finally taking her eyes away from him and putting them on their surroundings. " Where are we going ? This isn't anywhere near the park."

" I told you, we're going to my grandfather's."

" Do we have time for this ?" She glanced at her watch quickly.

" We're here. He can help. The question is, will he." Patrick answered as he slowed down and began to turn the car into a driveway that was blocked by an iron gate intricately molded with fancy scroll work.

A man stepped out of a booth off to the side, a big man wearing a suit and tie and looking very menacing as he approached the car.

" Can I help you kids ? Are you lost ?" He asked, leaning into the window and making sure they both saw the gun bulging under his arm.

Who the hell was his grandfather that he needed iron gated security and men with guns to protect him ?

" We're here to see Mr. Verona. I'm his grandson, Patrick." Patrick told the man.

James, or so his security badge deemed him, stepped back from the car and spoke into a two way radio he pulled from his hip. There was something of a back and forth conversation that lasted for a few moments before James stuck his head back in the window. " Is Mr. Verona expecting you ?" He asked.

" No, but it's an emergency. I need to speak to him now." Patrick answered.

" And you said your name is Patrick ?" He asked one more time.

" Yeah."

Obviously Patrick wasn't a frequent visitor to the rolling complex that stretched out in front of them. The man didn't recognize him at all so unless he was new, Patrick didn't come here often.

" Who is your grandfather ?" Kat asked finally, her curiosity getting the better of her.

She was interrupted by James before she got an answer. " Go on straight through. Someone will meet you out front."

" Just don't say anything unless someone asks you something and then just answer them quickly and for God's sake, Kat, please be nice." He told her with a grimace that said he thought she was incapable of any such thing.

" I can be nice." She shrugged. " Who exactly am I being nice to again ?"

" Don't ask questions you don't really want to know the answer to." He told her evasively as they drove down a twisting driveway, past a lush landscaped yard with a fountain in the center of the drive.

Patrick pulled the car to the front steps and gave her a look. " He knows people. He can help us. Just go with it."

" You said he might not help us. Why wouldn't he help ? He's your grandfather." She asked, taking off her seat belt.

" He aren't really close. He's my father's father. We don't talk much." Patrick explained cryptically as he opened his door and got out of the car.

He waited for her to join him. When she did, he took her hand firmly in his and started up the white stairs that lead to a huge porch surrounding the massive, three story, white house. White columns rose majestically into the air with balconies towering over them at both of the upper tiers.

Kat felt her hand begin to sweat and she tried to pull it out of Patrick's grip but he held it steady, refusing to let her pull away.

" Patrick Verona ?" A beautiful, thirty-something woman with a tight bun of honey colored hair and a tailored blue business suit asked as soon as one of the double front doors opened.

He nodded to her without actually answering.

" You can have five minutes." She told them as they were swiftly hustled across a grand foyer and got ushered through one of the archways to the left. " Your grandfather" She said the word as if she didn't believe for a moment that it was actually true, " is a very busy man and it's a little late for a social call."

" I won't keep him." Patrick assured her as they entered what appeared to be a study.

A sturdy looking dark wood desk set in the middle of the room with a comfortable looking, black padded office chair behind it and two Queen Anne style, red upholstered chairs in front of it. Massive bookcases, filled to overflowing with more volumes than Kat could possibly take in towered nearly to the ceiling and covered the entire wall behind the desk. Under their feet, a red and gold patterned Oriental rug covered the hard wood that laid underneath it.

The man sitting behind the desk looked exactly like the kind of man you'd expect to find in such a room. Salt and pepper colored, thinning hair, a carefully, well-kept goatee, the beginnings of a good size paunch falling over the waistband of his black dress pants. His skin tone was an olive color that made the starchy whiteness of his dress shirt nearly sparkled where it was rolled up neatly around his elbows. A red and blue striped tie hung lazily around his neck, having been pulled loose from what probably started out as a tight knot. His suit jacket was draped around the back of his chair and when they entered he glanced up from the papers he held in his hands with bright, alert, blue eyes that seemed to take everything in in an instant. There was an intelligence behind the eyes, a wisdom only accomplished from years of living a not so easy life.

" My boy." He addressed his grandson as he sat back in his chair and gauged them both a touch more carefully. " It's been ages."

" Yes, it has." Patrick agreed as he waited patiently by the desk.

" Have a seat." The older man told them gesturing to the chairs. " Tell me what's brought you here after so much time."

His gaze had hardened around the edges and there seemed to be a sharpness to his tone when he mentioned the amount of time that had past between visits. Kat tried to hide her nervousness as she took the chair beside Patrick and folded her hands in her lap. Patrick was stilling by her side, his leg shaking almost imperceptibly. But it was clear that he was not at all comfortable and that fact only served to heighten Kat's anxiety.

" I came here because I didn't know where else to go." Patrick began.

His grandfather let his gaze fall to Kat for a handful of minutes and she shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. Then he finally put his attention back on his grandson. " Let me guess," The man stated with a touch of sarcasm lacing his words. " You're in trouble and you need my help."

Patrick nodded silently.

" I thought we talked about this last time you were here." His grandfather answered. " I told you if you left this house that day, you wouldn't get any more help from me."

His tone was harsh and bitter and Kat found herself glancing between the two of them, feeling like someone that had just walked in on a movie that had already started. She felt as if she were trying to catch up.

Patrick sat up a little straighter and laced his hands together in his lap. Then he finally raised his eyes to the old man. " You know why I had to leave. I didn't have a choice."

" Oh, we always have a choice, Son. We may not like our options but there are always choices. The problem comes from having to live with the decisions that we make."

" You were asking me to abandoned her. To cut her out of my life completely. That wasn't a choice I could have lived with." Patrick answered without near as much emotion as the words sounded like they should carry.

" And now things are different ? You've changed your mind ?" His grandfather asked, sitting back further in his chair and eying him expectantly.

" Nothing's changed. I can't turn my back on her. She's my mother." Patrick told him and there was just a hint of the fire Kat was expecting this time.

The old man looked like he was about to say more, but instead he turned his attention back to Kat.

" Is this part of the trouble you've found yourself in ?" He nodded towards her.

" This is Kat. She's my girlfriend. And no she doesn't have anything to do with what's happened." Patrick told him, sitting forward a little as if he hoped the movement would bring the man's eyes back to him and away from her.

" Then why is she here ? You know I value my privacy."

" Again, I didn't have any other acceptable option."

" You show up here damn near in the middle of the night, your clothes are ripped and your lip is swollen and her's is bleeding and you both look like you've been in one hell of a fight and you haven't so much as spoken to me in nearly two years and you want my help." His grandfather summarized quickly.

" Yes, Sir. That about sums it up." Patrick nodded. " Like I said, we didn't have anywhere else to go."

She didn't think he was going to say anything else. The silence seemed to stretch out for an eternity as the man weighed his own options and thought through the situation carefully. Kat found herself praying he would at least hear them out. She had no idea who this man was or what he could possibly do to help, but there was something about him that said he was capable and resourceful. She understood exactly why Patrick had come here. But the dialog that had passed between them and his reluctance to give them his assistance also made her understand exactly why he hadn't wanted to come.

" Alright." His grandfather finally said, breaking the silence that was weighing heavily in the room. "Tell me what's happened and I'll see what I can do."

Patrick sat up a little straighter, shifting in the leather covered chair and began to tell him all about their night.

When he was done with his tale, leaving hardly anything out, including the fact that his dog was sitting in Kat's backseat, the old man narrowed at his eyes and sat forward in his chair, lacing his hands together on the desk in front of him.

" I know the men you're talking about. I've had dealing with them myself. You understand that if it wasn't for the fact that you were both just innocent bystanders to all this I wouldn't be helping you at all?" He asked and Patrick nodded solemnly. " You also understand that this is a one time offer ? You can't pretend that I don't exists until something comes up that you need my help with. It doesn't work that way, My Boy."

Patrick nodded again and Kat watched him swallow hard. " I understand. And I promise this is the last time you'll hear from me. I wouldn't ever ask you for anything again."

" I wish you'd reconsider my offer. You could have everything you ever want." He sighed in disappointment.

" I guess the price is just too high for me to afford, Sir." Patrick told him.

" In other words, you won't be bought." His grandfather rolled his eyes. " Your father was the same way. I guess you got that from him. Too many ideals and principals."

Patrick glanced at Kat and willed her with his eyes not to say anything. And for once in her life, she listened and bit her tongue. She wanted to ask the old man what he meant. She wanted to know exactly what kind of deal Patrick was turning down. She wanted to know what his grandfather was trying to buy from Patrick and what his price was. It was driving her crazy feeling like she was only hearing half of a conversation.

The old man behind the desk glanced at the diamond encrusted Rolex on his wrist and shook his head. "You don't have much time."

" I know." Patrick said.

He picked up the phone at his elbow and talked into the receiver for a moment. Kat thought it was odd that he hadn't dialed any numbers or even waited for the other party to answer. It was like whoever was on the other line was always there, just waiting to be talked to.

" Randolph and Maurice are two of my top men. They'll be following you back to the beach. Give them the bag and let them handle the rest." His grandfather announced as soon as he hung up the phone.

Patrick just nodded and stood from his chair.

" It was a pleasure to at least get to meet you, Kat. I truly hope Patrick will bring you around more often." He gave her a smile and it looked odd on his stern features.

Kat nodded back. " It was a pleasure to meet you, too, Mr. Verona."

The old man got to his feet a little stiffly and came around the desk. Patrick didn't look like he knew what to do as he approached him. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and he was shifting from foot to foot restlessly.

" Try to stay out of trouble, Patrick." His grandfather said, laying a hand to the younger man's shoulder. " And think about my offer. She's too far gone to save at this point. Don't let her pull you down with her."

" I'll think about it." Patrick told him, but it was clearly a lie and Kat and his grandfather both knew it.

" Go on. You're running out of time." He said giving him a little push towards the door.

Randolph and Maurice were waiting for them on the front steps, looking exactly like two goons dressed up in business suits and not liking it one bit. They were big, and muscled and terrifying. Kat immediately took Patrick's hand at seeing them and purposefully let him walk just a little bit in front of her.

" Mr. Verona said you have a package that needs to be delivered along with a message." One of them said, stepping forward.

Patrick grabbed the bag from his pocket and handed it over without saying a word. Then he walked past them, pulling her along behind him and went to the passenger side of the car. He held her door open for her and waited until she got in before shutting it and coming around to the driver's side.

Kat jumped at the feel of a cold nose pressing into her shoulder and nearly squealed in surprise, having forgotten Spock was waiting for them.

Patrick reached back and patted the dog's head quickly before tugging his seat belt on and starting the car.

" What the hell was all that ?" She exclaimed as soon as the engine started and they pulled away from the house, unable to contain herself any longer.

" That was my grandfather." He shrugged.

" Who is he ?" She pushed trying to get a straight answer out of him.

" Nobody you want to know." He muttered as he pulled out of the drive and turned towards the beach.

" Patrick," She reached her hand out and put it on his leg. " Tell me what's going on." She purposefully softened her tone, hoping the change in tactics might gain her more than she had gotten so far.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his eyes stayed glued to the road in front of him. She watched as his tongue came out to wet his dry lips. " You know the rumor about how my mother is a Mexican drug lord ?" He asked her.

Obviously it wasn't true. She had met his mother. But she nodded to keep him talking.

" Well it's almost true. Only it isn't my mother and he isn't Mexican." he admitted reluctantly.

" He's a drug lord ? Your grandfather is a drug lord !" She exclaimed trying to sit up but being hindered by her seat belt.

" They say that there's a grain of truth in almost every rumor." He shrugged.

Her eyes widened and she smiled at him suddenly. " What about the one that says you know the taste of human flesh ?" She asked him, sitting back in her seat.

He laughed and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips and nipping at the back of it playfully. " I know how you taste, doesn't that count ?"


	16. Chapter 16

They sat there, neither of them speaking, not moving. The only sound inside the tiny compartment of the car was the steady staccato of their breathing and Patrick found it funny that somehow it was almost in sync. Kat's was just was just a touch faster, a beat more rapid. But there was hardly any difference between his breath and hers. It was comforting, in a strange, soothing way, listening to that rhythm and enjoying the feel of her hand still resting on his thigh. It was warm and relaxing.

Then suddenly she shifted and he let his eyes follow where she was looking as she sat up a little straighter and her breathing became faster. Randolph or Maurice, he didn't know or care which one, was walking towards their car with a determined step that carried his huge body in a deceptively grace way.

Patrick rolled how his window and let the man approach without saying anything.

" It's taken care of. You two should get home. Try to pretend like this whole night didn't happen." The goon said with a toothy smile that announced how very proud of himself he was.

" Tell Mr. Verona, I said thank you." Patrick nodded before rolling the window back up and turning to Kat.

He glanced at the clock on the dash before speaking. " We still have an hour. Want to get a bite to eat?"

He wasn't ready to be away from her yet. He felt like he'd never be ready to be away from her again in all honesty. Everything that had happened had taken a toil on him and he knew from the weariness in her eyes that it had done the same to her.

She nodded and tried to pull her hand from his leg, but he covered it with his own, holding her steady. " I am a bit hungry." She nodded. " Besides we need to find a place to get cleaned up. You can't take me home like this."

" Right." He smiled. " Now where can we go that serves things without faces ? Although, like I told you before, they cut that part off before they bring it to you."

She gave a quiet laugh and lowered her eyes. " I'm not such what's opened."

He started the car and began to back out. " There's a diner down the road. I know for a fact they have the best breakfast in town and they serve it all day long." He suggested. " Do eggs count as having a face ? They haven't had a chance to get one yet."

" Eggs are fine." She laughed, " Though now I'm beginning to reconsider that now."

" I'm sorry I didn't mean to turn you off eggs." He smiled back at her.

" Will Spock be okay while we eat ?" She asked glancing over her shoulder at the sleeping dog.

" Spock will be fine. Are you sure you're dad is going to be okay with him staying with you ?"

" Once he sees that there was no other choice." She assured him.

He glanced at her as he pulled her car into the parking lot of the diner. " If he's not okay with him being there, let me know. I'll find somewhere else for him."

She reached up and took his hand once they'd parked. " He'll be fine. But I'm worried about you. Please tell me you aren't going to try living in that cave, not after tonight. It's dangerous."

" I won't live in the cave." He smiled and squeezed her hand.

" My window is always opened." She repeated the offer she'd made earlier in the night.

" I intend to take you up on that offer, tonight at least." He answered, bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing the back of it softly.

The smile she gave him caused a ripple to go straight through his body. He was helpless to fight against pulling her into him and kissing the way he wanted, covering her lips with his. She leaned into him, covering the expanse between the seats, pulling him closer. Her hand tangled in his hair and he wrapped his arms around her trying to ignore how awkward their position was. It felt as if it had been hours since he last kissed her, hours since he had her in his arms and he didn't care whether it was awkward or uncomfortable. He just needed to feel her.

" Patrick," She gasped, trying to pull away. " Not here. We can wait until we get home."

He nodded against her throat, still not willing to let her go yet. Then he took a deep breath and loosened his arms to allow her to slip out of her grasp. " Maybe we can get it to go." He suggested once they were walking inside.

" Patience is a virtue." She grinned cheekily.

He didn't know what had gotten into him, but he reached out and pinched her ass playfully. " It ain't one of mine."

Her laughter in response was like music to his ears. It took over her entire body causing her breasts to shake and her eyes to sparkle. Her hair was down now, dancing around her shoulders like a chocolate waterfall that he wanted to dive into and stay forever. He hadn't been sure how she would react to him pinching her like that, but he was very glad it was like this. " Fine," He told her, pulling her back against his chest as they walked to an empty booth. " But God help you when I do get you to myself."

" God has nothing to do with what you're thinking about." She teased as she slid in and let him have some space beside her.

He took it, grateful she wasn't making him sit across from her instead. It was too far. This way at least their legs were touching. " You're right." He joked. " I am going to hell."

She rolled her eyes. " Oh please, if lusting after your girlfriend was enough to send you to hell, no one would be immune."

He hauled her into his arms against and she protested at first at the unexpected show of PDA, but when his lips caught her, she relented and sank into his kiss. " I love hearing you call yourself my girlfriend." He murmured into her hair. " You have no idea what it does to me."

He nearly jumped out of his seat when her hand fell down into his lap and grazed over his hardening erection. " Apparently I do." She sighed, giving him a soft squeeze through his pants.

" That isn't nice, Kat." He squirmed more firmly into her palm and felt his breath catch when she squeezed him harder in response. " Paybacks are a bitch."

Immediately her hand was gone and she turned away from him. Obviously she was more attuned to her surroundings than he was because she noticed the waitress standing beside her while he had been oblivious to anything beyond her.

" What can I get you to drink ?" The short, perky little girl with a name tag that read, Fred, asked as she handed them menus.

" Water." Kat answered.

Patrick agreed as he flipped open the menu and began to peruse the selections trying to ignore the pounding in his lower regions.

Kat hadn't forgotten about it. He watched her hand slide back under the table in his peripheral vision and almost reached out to grab it. He wasn't sure how much torture he could take before it was too much and he was forced to usher her to the bathrooms at the back of the building.

But he decided against it. It wasn't really like Kat to be playful and spontaneous. He wanted to let her do whatever she wanted to do to him, give her free rein to work off the tension of the night they'd experienced.

She found him again and now instead of partially at attention, he was throbbing. It was hard to concentrate on the menu in front of him as his eyes blurred when she brushed her hand against him again.

" Katherine." He hissed in her ear when she grasped him more firmly than she had previously, skirting the edge of what he could tolerate.

" What ?" She asked, turning to him and batting her eyes in feinted innocence.

He shifted trying to pull himself away from her hand, but she merely tightened her fingers, completely encircling him now and his heart stopped beating for a moment. His head was spinning as her fingers loosened and tightened around him in a slow easy rhythm. Then he realized it was because he forgot he needed to breath and he gasped drawing in a lungful of fresh clean oxygen. " What are you doing ?" He demanded, squirming under her touch.

" Teasing you." She answered and he remembered he'd told her the exact same thing two nights ago when he'd tortured her while she was on the phone with her father. " It's fun." She smiled.

He'd been right, paybacks were a bitch.

" Have you decided or do you need some more time ?" Fred was back, setting their drinks in front of them before taking a notepad from her apron pocket and holding a pen poised above it.

" We'll both have the breakfast platter." Kat announced and he was thankful that she was taking care of it because he was pretty sure his voice wouldn't work right, especially since she still had his erection in her hand.

" How would you like those eggs ?" Fred asked, completely oblivious to what was happening under the table.

" Poached for me and," Kat glanced in his direction to judge whether he was capable of speech. Then she smiled and turned back to Fred giving him a sharp squeeze at the same time. " He wants his over medium."

She was wearing the smuggest smirk when she turned back to him it almost made him want to bolt to the other side of the booth. It was hard to give her the satisfaction of knowing she had him right where she wanted him.

" I swear I'll make you play for this." He warned her in a low dangerous voice.

" Blah, blah blah." She waved her unoccupied hand in the air.

He took it as a dare. He took it as her egging him on. He took as her not taking him seriously and he just could not have that.

She watched him carefully as he settled back onto the cushion behind him and closed his eyes for a moment, just letting himself feel her hand stroking him under the table. He let her think she'd won, lulling her into a false sense of security. When she began to redouble her efforts and squeeze him harder, he pounced.

His body darted forward, catching her off guard and drawing her into his arms despite her wild eyed protests as she glanced around the nearly empty diner. He just ignored her, pushing his lips against hers, compelling her with his tongue to open her mouth to him. When she figured out she couldn't fight him any longer, she yielded, parting her lips and letting him delve inside the dark recesses of her mouth.

She tasted like honey and he had no idea why, maybe it was just how she tasted. But he loved it and let his tongue linger over hers, drinking in its sweetness and stealing her breath at the same time.

" Patrick !" She finally gasped as she shoved at his shoulders in order to catch her breath.

" What ?" He blinked in the same innocent way she had earlier. " I was teasing. It was fun."

She took a deep breath and his eyes strayed to her breast as they strained against the tight bodice of her dress. That certainly wasn't helping his condition so he averted his eyes back to her face.

" I'm sorry I teased you." She said, grabbing her glass and taking a long refreshing drink of ice water. Then she pushed his glass towards him. " Here, this will help."

He took it and drank, but when he sat it down, he leaned into her ear and again lowered his voice. "The only way that's going to help is if I pour it into my lap."

She cut her eyes towards the glass and her fingers twitched as if she were about to reach for it, but he snatched it away before she had a chance.

" I figured since I started all this, I would help fix it." She grinned cheekily.

" Oh, you're going to fix it alright. Just not here and not," He gestured towards the glass. " like that."

Her eyes widened in mock surprise. " Are you threatening me ?"

" No, I'm promising you. You have no idea what you just started." He smirked back at her.

" My father will be down the hall." She protested.

He shrugged his shoulder and picked up his glass again for another drink. " I can gag you if I need to."

Her elbow connected with his ribcage and he grunted in pain. " There she is. I was afraid I was no longer inspiring you." He laughed.

" Oh, you still inspire me. I've just found better uses for your body than inflicting pain on it recently." She laughed back.

Fred showed up with their plates and refills and they both sat back and dug in heartily.

She was taking forever in the ladies room and he really, honestly thought about going in to find her. It was ridiculous. Kat wasn't one of those girls. She didn't spend hours flouncing her hair in front of a mirror like some mindless idiot. So he had no idea what was taking so long.

He was pacing, both hands in his pockets and frown on his face when she finally emerged.

The frown was short lived. As soon as his gaze began to travel upward from her feet, it turned into something else entirely. Her dress looked just like it had when he picked her up. Her make up was no longer smeared or fading. It was perfect and she had even managed to hid her lip somehow. She left her hair down though she had brushed it and tamed it into looking as if she'd meant it that way all along. In short, if he hadn't been through the whole evening with her right at his side, he never would have suspected anything out of the ordinary had happen, other than the fact that she wasn't wearing shoes. She was perfect. Though to his taste, the slightly mussed, altogether more casual picture of her before she went into the tiny bathroom was more appealing.

" God, you are so beautiful." He told her, stepping up and putting his arms around her.

She pulled back to inspect him as he had done her and smiled. " You aren't so bad either. Dad will never know anything happened at all."

" So," She took his hand and started them towards her car. " You drop me off, take your bike somewhere..." she paused. " Where will you take it ?"

" The same place I always take it. Keith's and he'll give me a ride back." He pulled her against him and smiled. " This isn't the first time I've done this."

She nodded and did her best to stop talking. It lasted all of about three seconds. " Then Keith will give you a ride back and drop you off, down the street !" She stopped as if to punctuate her point.

" At the end of the block actually. Like I said, not my first time." He smiled again, but let her continue to lay out the plan like it was an intricately devised scheme they had carefully concocted.

" Okay, then walk to my house and come in the window. I'll be waiting. If I'm not there I'm in the shower." She needed to do this. He knew that. It was her way of feeling like she was in control again after being so lost for so long. Her 'take charge' nature had suffered a big blow throughout the evening and if planning their rendezvous was helping, he wasn't going to stop her. But he couldn't help teasing her.

" Can I come find you if you're in the shower ? I could use one myself."

She rolled her eyes and slapped at him. " Maybe I can figure something out for you. After dad goes to sleep." She shook her head. " I'm not sure."

" I wasn't serious." He told her taking his hand as he started the car. " If it makes you feel better, I'll catch a shower at Keith's before I come to your place. His mom loves me."

" Tomorrow is Sunday!" She exclaimed as if the idea had just occurred to her.

He cut his eyes towards her as he rounded a corner and gave her a smile since he had no idea what she was talking about. " And the next day is Monday ! Yay!"

" You ass," She huffed at his attempted joke. " No, my dad is leaving tomorrow."

" You and your sister have finally had enough of his shit and you're kicking him to the curb ?" He mocked. " It's a solid plan, at least until the bills start pouring in."

" It actually does have some merit. I think we could revolt and take him down." She nodded. " But no, this time he'll be back. But he will be gone for a week."

" A week ? Seriously ?" He rose his eyebrows at her. " And you're just now telling me this ? We should have been celebrating."

" Well it does mean you have a place to stay, at least for a while." She smiled.

" So the guest room is available ?" He continued to joke.  
" No, we're renting that out to hookers by the hour. But my room is open for guests." She answered without missing a beat and he loved her for it and decided to tell her so.

" I love you, too. Now get me home so we can get to bed." She demanded, leaning over to kiss when.


	17. Chapter 17

Kat was more than a little nervous as she approached her front door. She hoped her father hadn't heard her in the backyard securing Spock there with a bowl of water. She figured she'd rummage in the fridge after everyone went to bed for something for him to eat. She didn't want to have to go through the lengthy explanation of his presence right then. She was just too exhausted to fight at the moment.

Trudging up to the door with Patrick on her heels, she reached for the knob before he reached his hand out and stopped her.

Turning, she gave him a half smile before wrapping her arms around his neck and letting him pull her in close. It wasn't really a goodnight kiss since he would be coming right back. But he would be gone for a little while and she knew without looking that her father was watching them closely through the living room blinds. Best to make it look like a goodnight kiss at least.

She sank into him as his arms came around her and sprayed over the small of his back. His lips molded to hers in a way no one else had ever managed. It just felt right, being in his arms, the feel of his body pressing into hers, the heart-stopping sensation of his lips fitting so perfectly to her own. It all felt so, so very right.

For close to the first time since they had left Ohio, she was very glad they had come.

Taking a step back from him before the kiss turned less than chaste, she smiled up into his hazel eyes and sighed inwardly. " I love you." She breathed, letting her arms slid from his neck to rest on his shoulders.

" I love you, too." He answered, leaning in for one more kiss before stepping away from her completely. " I'll see you in half an hour."

She watched him walk down the driveway and get on his bike before opening the door and going inside. The sound of the motorcycle's rumble filled her ears as she turned to face her father.

He was leaning against the doorjamb that separated the foyer from the living room in what seemed like a casual pose. To anyone that didn't know him, they wouldn't have suspected anything was wrong with him at all. But there was tightness in his jaw and a narrowing of his eyes that gave away his emotions.

" Did you have a good time ?" He asked her, again, deceptively casual, nonchalant.

She nodded and started for the stairs. " Yes, actually I did."

" Where are you going ?" He stopped her before she put her foot on the bottom step.

" To bed." She answered, starting for it again.

" Tests." He announced nodding his head towards the kitchen. " Everything is ready in there."

" Oh, give me a break. This is getting ridiculous." She fumed as she obediently turned in the other direction.

" My house, my rules." Walter announced.

It didn't take her as long as she thought it would to get through the battery of tests and questions from her father. He seemed fairly satisfied when she finally managed to get away from him and make her way up the stairs.

The shower, while quick, still felt wonderful and refreshing, giving her tired muscles a much needed rejuvenation.

He was already stretched out over her bed when she entered the room. He had propped a pillow behind his head and his hands were laced together over his waist, legs crossed at the ankles and eyes closed peacefully.

She walked to the side of the bed and sank down, after shutting and locking the door behind her. "Patrick." She whispered, noting that his hair was damp as she ran her hand through it softly. He had obviously showered at Keith's. He'd changed as well. His t-shirt was stark white, his jeans worn and faded. He looked like he normally did and Kat found a great deal of comfort in the familiarity of it. It was nice to dress up but after everything she really just wanted her Patrick back.

He didn't budge when she touched him. Didn't answer when she softly called his name. He seemed to be sleeping soundly.

Deciding it was best not to wake him, she tossed her wet towel over the back of her desk chair and climbed up the bed from the foot, moving slowly so she wouldn't jar him.

Once she was settled on her side facing him, she thought about waking him again. She didn't necessarily want him awake, but she did want him to shift around and put his arms around her. She needed to feel him against her, needed the safety and security she felt when he held her.

" Patrick," She whispered again, still not loud enough to wake him from a deep sleep. But if he were merely drowsing, he'd be sure to hear her.

He still didn't move, didn't acknowledge her presence at all in fact and a frown began to form across her lips. She lay still for a moment, watching him intently. Something about it wasn't right, but she couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was.

She sat up beside him and folded her legs under her as she continued to stare at him. Then she saw it. His chest wasn't moving the way it should if he were truly asleep. It was too rapid for the deep exchange that comes with sleep. He was faking and it was a struggle to hide the knowing smile from her face when she realized it.

Her mind went into overdrive, trying to think of how best to turn the tables on whatever it was he was planning by his playing possum with her.

Then it came to her and she reached over to her nightstand where her phone was laying and snatched it up.

She quickly pushed in the buttons for the local movie theater before bringing it to her ear and sliding to the foot of the bed. She didn't want to be close enough for him to hear the other end of the conversation.

" It's me," She said into the phone a few seconds later. " She pretended to wait for a response before continuing. " No, everyone is asleep. I'm all alone." She dropped her voice to a purr and flipped her hair over her shoulder dramatically. " No, I can't do that." She giggled into the phone, keeping up the pretense of talking to an illicit lover. " What if someone sees us ? You know how jealous Patrick can be." She shifted, trying to catch a glimpse of Patrick's face. " You know I want you, too, Baby."

That was as far as she got before the phone was snatched away from her ear and she found herself on her back with Patrick towering over holding the phone to his ear, seething.

The anger flashed in his eyes and his jaw was tight until he registered that the man on the end of the phone was giving him a detailed account of the movie's that were showing at the theater and Kat was smiling up at him like the... well, Kat that ate the canary.

He flipped the phone shut and gave it a toss, letting in land on the floor somewhere. Then he was covering her with his body and kissing her like his very life depended on it. Her arms came around him and she pulled him in closer. Her legs wrapped around his thighs as he pressed himself into her.

" That wasn't nice." He told her when he finally pulled away.

" Neither was pretending to be asleep." She answered, pulling him back down for another kiss.

" I was waiting for you to get comfortable." He said, as his lips brushed her ear.

" Then what ?"

" Then I was going to snatch you up and make you pay for the trick in the restaurant."

She huffed at him even as she pulled him back down for another kiss. " I'm not scared of you."

He ground his lower body into hers hard, letting her know how ready for her he already was. " You should be." His voice was a low growl.

She pushed at his shoulders until he raised up enough to see her face. Her eyes locked with his and held them. " Bring it." She told him, in her own low, dangerous voice.

His eyes widened for a moment in shocked surprise, but he recovered quickly and his tongue snaked out to wet his lips. " I intend to." His eyes narrowed and his hands flexed into her sides where they rested.

She shivered from the look he was giving, from the feel of his body over hers, from the sensation of his fingers digging into his skin. Her entire body quivered under his and again she felt a little like a silly kid and secretly hated herself for it. He made her feel so vulnerable and out of control and safe and secure all at the same time. It was odd, the effect he had on her.\

His lips were tracing teasingly down the side of her throat and she shuddered as his tongue snaked out and delved into the hollow at the base of her throat.

His hands were tugging at the blue tank top she'd thrown on after her shower and she raised her shoulders up to help him as he pulled it out of his way.

He was just about to yank it over her head when they heard the knock on the door.

Both of them froze immediately, neither so much as breathing while they waited for a second knock to confirm the noise.

It came and Kat cleared her throat quickly. " Who is it ?" She called out loud enough to be heard in the hallway.

" It's me." Her father answered. " I can't sleep and I need to talk to you."

Patrick was off the bed and looking around the room frantically before her brain could actually register what was happening. When it finally did catch up, she pointed to the closet and watched as he dashed inside and shut the door behind him.

She was pulling her shirt back into place as she opened the door and let her father inside.

" It's after midnight, Dad. What's up ?" she asked, plopping down on the foot of her bed.

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked around the room suspiciously. " Why was your door locked ?"

She sighed, " Because I'm seventeen years old and I change clothes in here and sometimes I like to do that in private without having to worry about anyone barging in on me."

He narrowed his eyes at her and frowned. " Don't take that tone with me, young Lady. I can easily see to it that you don't possess a door at all. Just ask Bianca. I'm sure she'll tell you how very glad she is to have earned hers back."

" Fine. I'm sorry. What did you need to talk to me about ?" She tried to change the subject quickly.

He paused as if considering how best to start the conversation he wanted to have, then finally he looked at her and took a deep breath. " You've been spending quite a bit of time with that deep voiced man-boy, haven't you ?"

" Yes." She nodded. " I like him and he likes me. We aren't doing anything wrong and we have a good time together. And while we're on the subject, the man-boy has a name. It's Patrick and I'd really appreciate it if you used it."

He dropped his arms to his sides and began to pace. " Kat, I don't know what's gotten into you lately. You've changed so much in the last few months I can barely keep up." He turned back to her and narrowed his eyes again. " First you nearly get suspended. Then you actually do get suspended. Now every time I try to talk to you, you act like you hate me. What is going on with you ? Is this his influence ? Because I can't help but notice that none of this started until he started coming around."

Her jaw tightened in anger, but she did her best to swallow it. " Are we really going to keep rehashing the whole suspension thing ? How long will it be before you let it go ?"

He rolled his eyes. " I'm not sure. I'll let you know in a couple of years."

" Dad, I did what I thought was right that day. It's who I am. Patrick didn't make me do anything. He was just an innocent bystander for it all." She paused and her eyes almost fell tellingly towards the closet, but she resisted the urge and dropped them to her lap instead. " I can't help but notice that he was there, right beside me, supporting me through the whole thing, while all I was getting from you were demands that I cave and ignore my principals."

" No I was demanding that you think about the big picture. I wanted you to choice what was right for your future." He explained. " Sometimes we have to pick our battles."

" I did." She answered, sticking her chin out. " I choose the one that meant the most to me."

" You choose the one that could easily have taken away your dream of Brown. How can that be the one that meant the most to you ?"

She wasn't sure what to say to that so she bite her lips instead. She didn't want to have to learn to pick her battles. It wasn't right that she needed to make choices like that. She wanted to fight for every injustice, lend her voice to every cause.

Her father smiled at her and came to sit down beside her. " I just don't want to see you getting distracting and losing something so important to you." He told her.

" Patrick isn't a distraction." She answered without hesitating.

" Are you sure about that ?" He asked her.

" Absolutely. You just don't understand." She told him, refusing to look at him.

" No, that's where you're wrong. I understand a little too well." He smiled again. " See, I know exactly what is going on with you. I've seen the two of you together. I've seen how you look at him when he doesn't know you're watching. It's the same look I used to give your mother."

Kat looked up at him at that and saw that there were tears brimming his eyes. He sniffled quietly and shifted as if he was trying to hide them from her. " The thing that has me most worried is that he looks at you the same way."

" Why should that have you worried ? It should be a good thing. I can't be your little girl forever, Dad." She insisted.

" No, I know that and that's only a little bit of the problem. I always knew you wouldn't be the type to do a causal relationship. And I'm assuming that is what this officially is now, a relationship ?"

She nodded in response. " Yeah, I guess it is."

" I know I've always been a little over protective and overbearing. But the truth is I really do want you to find the kind of love that I had with your mother. It's always been my dream for both you and your sister. I'm more worried about her because I know it's going to be a long, hard journey for her. You, on the other hand, have apparently already stumbled upon yours." He sighed heavily and didn't look very happy about the prospect of that.

" Then why do you look so sad ?"

" I wish you had taken a little more time in finding it. You have no idea what kind of changes you're about to face, with graduation and college and trying to find the right path for you out there in the world. It's hard when you have someone else that means that much to you, doing it at the same time. I just hope that whatever path you both find doesn't tear you apart and end up breaking your heart in the process."

She looked towards the closet now without meaning to and without thinking beforehand. But thankfully her father didn't seem to notice and she pulled her gaze away before he did.

He reached out and put his hand on her leg comfortingly. " So how serious is this thing between you and Patrick ?" He asked, making a point of saying his name very clearly.

She sighed. " Pretty serious."

" Kat," He said her name to get her attention and she turned her face to his. The look in his eyes scared her and she swallowed the lump in her throat. He was going to ask her. He was going to come right out and ask her and she knew she couldn't lie to him. Not now, not like this.  
He opened his mouth and wet his lips. Then he opened his mouth again before dropping his gaze from hers and letting it fall to the floor. Then he shook his head and looked up at her again. " I guess there are somethings a parent really doesn't want to know." He muttered. " Just promise me that you'll be careful. And I don't mean use a condom. I mean be careful with everything. Don't let this thing throw you off course. Don't let it ruin your life. I know right now he, this," he waved his hands around to demonstrate his point, " feels like it means everything in the world. But the world is bigger than the two of you and it needs you." He smiled sardonically. " And if I know you at all and this boy is the one you've chosen, then it needs him, too. He must be something special for you to feel so much for him."

He squeezed her leg before standing and stretching his back. " I guess I can probably sleep now. I'm leaving first thing in the morning. Keep an eye on your sister for me while I'm gone." He went to the door and paused there before turning back to her. " I love you, Sweetheart."

" I love you, too, Daddy." She said, trying to pretend like there weren't tears running down her cheeks. Her father gave her one last smile before shutting the door behind him. She heard it lock as well and couldn't help but smile at that.

Patrick was out of the closet the minute the door shut. He came to where she was sitting and dropped down to his knees in front of her without saying a word. Then he wrapped her up in his arms and let her cry on his shoulder.


	18. Chapter 18

" You cheated !" Kat screeched as she pouted at the screen in front of her.

She tossed the fake guitar she was holding down and snatched up a pillow from the back of the couch to throw at him.

Patrick deflected it easily with his own fake guitar and grabbed it from the floor.

" You just can't handle the fact that I'm better than you at something." He smirked, throwing the pillow back at her.

" No, I can easily admit that you are better at cheating than I am. Congratulations." She smiled sweetly as she gave him a bow.

" How did I cheat ?" He asked, loudly.

" You bumped me on purpose right before I could enact my star power thingy and I hit a wrong note." She claimed.

Clearly Guitar Hero had been a bad idea and Patrick suddenly wished he'd left the entire thing at Keith's, where losers could just admit it.

" I can't believe I let you talk me into playing this stupid game. It's stupid. You're stupid." She spat, but there was an underlying smile that made him relax a little.

" If it makes you feel better, I'll let you win next time." He smiled and tossed his guitar aside.

" Why are you so sure there going to be a next time ? I don't play with cheaters." She announced.

He flopped down on the couch and grinned at her cheekily. " You know, you actually stepped into me when I bumped you. How do I know you weren't trying to throw me off since I was already clearly beating you ?"

She huffed and threw another pillow at him. He snatched it out of the air and grabbed hold of the corner of it as he sat forward menacingly.

" Really ?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

He hefted the pillow a touch higher and got slowly to his feet.

She glanced around a bit frantically until she spied a weapon of her own and lifted it from the back of the couch.

" Are you sure you want to do this ?" He asked, mockingly. " It's another game you can't win against me."

She dropped her pillow low enough to peak over its top and stuck her tongue out at him. " Bring it." She whispered. Then turned and took off like a shot out of the room.

He was surprised at first. He thought she'd try to hit him with the pillow. That was the general idea of a pillow fight. But seeing her run away from him enticed him and he took off after her, following her laughter down the hall.

He stopped right outside her father's study and held his breath, listening intently for any movement.

" Wait," He heard her say as she stepped out of the bathroom at the end of the hall.

He raised his pillow, looking for some sort of deception from her. But she held out her hands in a time out gesture with her pillow tucked under her arm.

" Okay." He said, lowering his own weapon and looking her over carefully, still expecting a sneak attack.

" I have an idea." She smiled and with it came a blush to her cheeks and he decided whatever her idea was, he was going to like it an awful lot.

She put a wiggle in her hips that made his mouth go completely dry as she sauntered down the hall towards him. He forgot all about the pillow in his hand or the one under her arm for that matter.

She came within an inch of touching him and took a deep breath causing her breasts to brush against his arm that was still raised defensively over his chest.

" And what idea would that be ? Are you giving up already ?" He grinned down at her, his eyes and attention solely on her lips.

" Oh, no. You know I can't do that." She smiled back and licked her lips enticingly. " But with Bianca at Joey's and Dad gone, we have the house to ourselves for a while. I think we should at least make this a fight worth winning."

" Okay, what do you purpose as a reward ?" He swallowed hard and unconsciously leaned in closer to her.

She looked down, then raised her eyes without moving her head, peering at him from under lowered lashes with a devilish smile on her lips. " Whatever the winner wants." She answered finally.

He chuckled quietly. " I think that definitely makes it worth winning. But how do we decide who wins and who loses?"

" Every time one of us lands a hit, the person hit has to remove an article of clothing." She suggested.

" Strip pillow fight," He nodded as if thinking it over. " I like it. Now how do we do this ?"

He gripped the pillow in his hand tighter as she leaned even closer into him. Then in a surprise move, she snatched her pillow from under her arm, and smacked him in the face with it, before darting around him and taking off down the hall. " I think like that." She called over her shoulder as she rounded the doorway and sped off out of sight.

He muttered a curse under his breath before dragging his shirt over his head and tossing it to the floor. Then he turned on his heel and took off after her in a dash.

Something told him to be cautious so he slowed before he came to the open archway at the end of the hall. It was the perfect spot for an ambush. He grabbed his pillow to his chest and slowed to a creeping pace as he rounded the corner, artfully looking both ways before stepping out into the opening of the foyer. He listened intently for a time, trying to catch the sound of her footsteps or her breathing, but heard nothing.  
He was just about to try upstairs when he thought he heard a muffled noise from the dining area, then the unmistakable sound of the swinging door to the kitchen groaning on its hinges. It was squeaky and he had been meaning to fix it for them, now suddenly he was very glad he hadn't yet.

He moved stealthily towards the swinging door, which was no longer moving. But he knew he'd heard the sound. It was definitely from the hinge. There was a bar right beside the door with an opening to the kitchen above it. It was closed by the roll top shudder at the moment. When the family wanted to eat at the bar, the window could be opened and there was a bar on the kitchen side as well.

He moved carefully across the floor, thankful for the beige carpet under his feet. Crouching down quietly, he positioned himself under the bar and held his pillow at the ready. Then he waited.

He didn't have to wait for long. It was a few moments later when the door began to slowly open. It was just a crack at first and he glanced up to see her eyes darting around, looking for him. When she decided the coast was clear, she opened the door further and stepped out into the dining room. He let her take a couple of steps, waiting until she was standing beside the table before he sprang out and tagged her across the back with his pillow. Then he fled quickly to the other side of the table and stared at her, waiting.

She huffed at him in exasperation, but dutifully bent and began to remove her article of clothing. He had chosen to lose his shirt first. Kat was craftier in her decision. She was removing her shoes and he sighed in disappointment.

She laughed at the look on his face. " I guess you'll just have to get me again if you want me to get rid of the good stuff."

He thought about her choice and realized that she had just made a carefully considered tactical move. Now that she was barefoot, hearing her footsteps would be decidedly harder. He glanced down at his own black combat boots and inwardly cursed his stupidity. The only way to fix it would be to let her have a shot. His teeth ground together at the idea of seeing the smug look on her face if she managed to get him again. But he had no other choice, so he took a deep breath and took off around the table, letting himself get close enough for her to tag.

She took the bait and smacked him across the back as he flew past her. Turning back to her, he tried to hide the smile of his victory as he stopped and tugged off his boots.

" Wow," She said, realizing what he had just done. " You're pretty good."

He shrugged and smiled at her. " It was my mistake for leaving them on to begin with."

He was easing out of the dining room, slowing backing towards the foyer. And she was advancing on him. Neither of them acted as if they noticed the space between them getting smaller and smaller.

" I can't wait to see you running through the house in nothing but a pair of panties." He told her mockingly as he reached the hardwood that announced he'd arrived at his planned escape route.

" Ha," She answered. " You'll have to catch me first. And from my count I'm already one up on you."

He stepped back again, seeing the staircase come into view through his peripheral vision. That was his goal. He had it in sight now. Now he just needed to slow her down a bit so he could make a run for it.

She was still moving towards him, her pace slow and cautious as if she were trying to corner a wild animal.

" You know," He told her, lowering his voice. " I think when I get whatever I want for winning, I'm going to pick a lap dance." He said with a dreamy look in his eyes. " No, wait, maybe I'll make it a Kat Slave. Yeah," He nodded. " I'll even go find Spock's collar for you."

Her eyes went wide at his suggestion and she stopped in her approach, shocked into stillness. Apparently she hadn't imagined that possibility when she'd planned this game.

It was all the opportunity he needed. He dashed towards the stairs, not looking back until he was at the upstairs landing. She was still at the bottom of the stairs, having finally pulled out of her shock enough to give chase.

He didn't pause to watch her climbing the stairs. Instead, he took off again, darting down the hall and out of her sight.

He thought at first about her room, but decided against it at the last minute. Once in there, there was really no place to go. He decided instead on her father's room, running inside and quietly shutting the door behind him.

He waited at the door, knowing she would try her own room first and she did. He heard the door down the hall open and cracked his own door to look outside. She wasn't in the hall, but her bedroom door was opened, so he knew she was inside. Shutting the door again, he raced to the window beside Dr. Stratford's bed and opened it as quietly as possible. Then he went to the balcony outside and closed it behind him.

He had been on the outside of the house enough times to know that there were three separate balconies on the second story, one for each of the bedrooms. He went to the railing of the one he was standing on and gauge the distance to the one that connected to Bianca's room. It wasn't far and if he stretched, he could make it with little problem. The one thing that was a problem was the pillow in his hand. He looked down at it, trying to decide how he would scale the side of the house while still holding on to his weapon. If he lost it, the game would be over. He'd have to go all the way back down the side of the house to get it.

Then the answer came to him and he knew it was a risky move, a move that left him vulnerable for a short amount of time. He wasn't sure he liked that idea. It was one thing to be crawling around on the balconies without a shirt. He certainly didn't want to get caught and have to do it without his pants as well.

Realizing that if his plan was going to work, he'd have to take the chance, he gave the pillow a toss and thanked God when it landed with a soft thump on the metal grate that made the floor of Bianca's balcony. Then he quickly made his way over the side rail and gripped it tightly with one hand while reaching out with the other. Once he had a good purchase on the railing, he let go and his body swung over to the other balcony. Just as he left the view of the window, he saw the door to Dr. Stratford's room open and Kat stepped inside.

He snatched his pillow from the floor before trying Kat's sister's window. It was locked, of course. And he muttered another curse under his breath. This would have been quicker if it was opened.

But he knew that Kat's window was unlocked. He'd left it that way himself just the night before. Repeating the move he'd just executed, albeit, a touch quicker this time since these balconies were closer together and he knew exactly what he needed to do, he exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding when he landed soundlessly right outside of her window. Rising it as quietly as he could, he was just about to dart inside when Spock, who was sleeping peacefully right below him, looked up and noticed him. He let out a bark of excitement at seeing his master and Patrick turned back to try and shush him. But it was too late, the noise had drawn Kat to the window and he saw the curtains move as she looked out.

He plunged head first inside her room before she spotted him and landed with a thud on her floor.

He was out in the hallway by the time she made it to her father's door. The look on her face as she jerked the door opened said she knew she was had. There was nowhere for her to go.

She stepped back instinctual and he stopped her before she could go back into the room any further.

" Please, don't make me tackle you on your father's bed." He asked her, advancing steadily towards her. " While the thought does have some obscure appeal, there is just something very wrong and icky about it."

She stopped moving and came back into the hallway, shutting the door behind her. Her eyes darted from the door that led to the bathroom, over to her sister's bedroom. Both had no exit and she would be just as trapped in either space.

Then he thought he saw something cross her face for an instant and decided he didn't want to give her any more time to contemplate her position. Racing forward, he raised his pillow and hit her on the arm with it before retreating back down the hall.

" I guess I underestimated you." She said as her fingers moved over the buttons of her shirt. " I won't let that happen again."

She tugged it from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor at her feet.

" That's two for two. How about we just call this a tie and I'll let you take off the rest of my clothes without hitting me with a pillow first ?" She suggested.

He blinked at her in surprise but refused to let his guard down. " Are you conceding ? Why ? Scared?"

" Hardly. I've just decided I'd rather be doing something a lot more fun with you half naked." She answered.

She was moving closer and he couldn't help but notice that she was still holding her pillow.

" Oh, no. I'm having way too much with this." He smiled. Then he darted for the stairs, but instead of taking them, he leaped over the wooden railing and slid skillfully down the banister.

He had been wanting to do that since he first saw the staircase and it didn't disappoint. It was a ride worth repeating. And it was made all the more precious by the look on Kat's face as she peered over the railing at him. He gave her a little salute and a wave before running out of the foyer.

He leaped over the back of the couch once he got to the living room and slid himself as far into it as he could manage, effectively blocking his body from view from the doorway.

Holding his breath, he waited for her, knowing she would come in here first. He was right again and he silently patted himself on the back for his intuition.

Know your enemy, he thought to himself. It really was a phrase to live by.

As soon as he heard her getting closer to the couch, he leaped up and was surprised to find nothing there. Then out of nowhere, a pillow connected with his chest as she leaped up from behind the couch where she was hiding.

He narrowed his eyes at her and the smile on her face changed as soon as she realized her mistake.

He reached for the button of his jeans and yanked the zipper down, letting them fall away as he walked towards her.

She was trapped again. He was between her and the only door from the room. So even as he finished walking out of his pants, his smile was victorious.

He reached out and quickly grabbed the pillow from her hands and she stumbled a little as she tried to back away from him.

Then he took his own pillow and hit her softly on the shoulder. " Let's see." he smiled. "That's one for the bra." He tapped her again. " Another for the jeans." He hit her a touch harder this time. " And that one is for the lacy black panties under them."

He dropped both pillow to the floor and stalked towards her again. " I'll help you, if you'd like. But I think that makes me the winner."

" I guess it does." She answered as she stuck her chin out while her hands went to the button and zipper of her own jeans. " So, what do you want from me ?"

She had already stepped out of her jeans and was working on her bra. He couldn't stop himself from staring at her hands as they worked at her clothing. He would never, ever get tired of watching her undress.

" Patrick." She said to get his attention.

He raised his eyes from her chest reluctantly and gave her a smile. " What ?"

" What do you want from me ?Are you really going to make me wear Spock's collar ?" There was a hint of fear in her eyes as she asked him.

" Of course not. That's just weird."

" Then what ?"

" I was just in the kitchen, making myself a snack earlier and I spotted a few items of interest. How about I go get them and you meet me upstairs ?" He suggested.

" What kind of items ? What are you going to do to me ?" There was that touch of fear again and he smiled at her reassuringly.

" You know I'm not going to do anything to hurt you." He told her.

She was completely naked now and staring up at him like a scared child. Then she smiled back at him and nodded. " Of course, I know that."

" Good." He said, stepping close enough to kiss her. " Now, get upstairs. I want my reward." With that, he playfully slapped her ass before darting quickly away.

Her eyes widen for a brief moment before narrowing at him. " You are going to pay for that."

" Promises, Promises." He called over his shoulder as he left the room, reminding him of the way she'd mocked him in the diner after their date. He still hadn't really gotten his revenge for that. He figure now would be the perfect opportunity.

He was whistling as he pushed open the swinging door of the kitchen.


	19. Chapter 19

Bianca Stratford was more tired than she could remember being in a long time. Her muscles felt like rubber as she trudged her way up the driveway that lead to her house. The house looked deserted as she stepped up to the front door and used her key in the lock.

_Daddy, would be so proud_. She thought at seeing she and her sister had remembered to lock the door behind them before they left.

She tugged the door opened tiredly and winced as she raised her arm to do it. The angry redness of her skin blared at her and sounded out loudly in pain every time she tried to move.

It was the reason she was home already, a sunburn that was quickly becoming so uncomfortable all she wanted to do was get into bed and try not to touch anything.

She stepped inside the house and the cool rush of the breeze from the air conditioner hit her immediately drawing a sigh of relief from her lips. Dropping her bag on the table beside the door, she moved carefully into the living room and almost missed the fact that anything was out of place. But before she could circle the couch and flopped down on it for a moment, she saw the blue jeans laying in a heap behind it. Coming a little further round the corner she spotted what looked like another pair of jeans along with a bra and a pair of panties sitting on top of them.

She shuddered and tried to remove the image from her mind before it burned her retinas.

Apparently, Kat was home and she had company.

She remembered a bottle of aloe in the bathroom cabinet and sidetrack her steps that way, hoping it might grant her a little bit of relief.

She found the white t-shirt in the middle of the hall and stopped to stare at it for a few moments, trying not to think about what had happened here while she was gone.

With the bottle of aloe from the bathroom in hand, she made her way into the kitchen, sighing as she stepped over a pair of combat boots and a pair of Kat's boots as well.

Had they really undressed all over the house ?

She flung the kitchen door opened and stepped into the room without a second thought, and stopped immediately as Patrick darted his head out of the refrigerator and turned to look at her with a startled expression on his face. He was standing there holding a tray with various food items on it wearing nothing but a pair of blue boxers and a sheepish look on his face.

Her hand went to her hip and she eyed him smugly, trying not to notice how really pretty her sister's boyfriend actually was. " You are so lucky I'm not Dad."

" Hi," he mumbled as he shut the door of the fridge and adjusted the tray in his arms. " We didn't think you'd be home until late."

She glanced down at the blazing redness that covered her chest, shoulder and arms. " I got a little too much sun, decided to come home early."

" Oh," He answered, shifting from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable. " Is there anything we can do it help ? That's looks pretty painful."

She sighed and rolled her eyes at him as she stepped around him to get some water out of the fridge. "

"No, Go on about your business. Just pretend I'm not here. I'll even stay downstairs so I can't hear whatever it is your doing up there." She glanced at his tray and couldn't help but smile as she saw all the things it held.

" Thanks," He said before smiling back at her and shrugging. " We're having Sundaes."

" I see. Naked sundaes apparently." She chuckled. " And I thought Kat didn't approve of processed sugar."

" She doesn't exactly know that we're having sundaes yet." He shrugged again.

" Well, good luck with that." She said snatching a bottle of water from the fridge and stepping around him again. " Will you be emerging from your den of indecency long enough to have dinner ?"

" I'm making dinner actually." He smiled.

" Really ? What are you making that Kat will deem eatable ?"

" I'm making eggplant Parmesan with steamed vegetables Alfredo." He puffed out his chest a little at announcing his menu choice.

Bianca laughed. " That sounds really good. And he cooks, too. We may just have to keep you. Will there be enough for Joey ? I'm not sure if he's coming over or not, but he might when everyone leaves from his house."

He nodded. " They'll be plenty. Invite whoever you want or we'll be eating it all week."

" Don't get too full on your naked sundaes and you might want to collect your clothes from all over the house before dinner." She called over her shoulder as she exited the room.

Patrick was trying very hard not to be absolutely mortified as he watched her leave and readjusted his loaded down tray once again. Embarrassment was not an emotion he was especially familiar with and he hated the burning sensation that was trying to erupt in his cheeks. He didn't blush. Girls blushed. He did not blush.

He backed through the kitchen door and made his way quickly and quietly up the stairs, balancing the tray carefully as he went.

Kat was sitting in the middle of what he was becoming to think of as their bed, still completely naked, holding a textbook in her hands.

She glanced up as he entered. " What took you so long ? I got so bored I started doing homework." She asked, closing the book and tossing it aside.

He closed the door behind him and moved to set the tray down on her desk. " Bianca's home. She's got a bad sunburn. But she promised to stay downstairs so we could have some privacy."

" You talked to my sister ?" She raised her eyebrows at him, " dressed like that ?"

He gave her a sheepish smile. " Not by choice. She just sorted found me at the fridge."

She laughed. " If I didn't know better, I'd say you're blushing."

" I am not. That's stupid, you're stupid." He protested, coming to kneel at the side of the bed and pull her into his arms.

" I missed you." She sighed into him and he could tell she felt like an idiot for making the confession.

" Ah," He pulled her in tighter against him. " That's so sweet. I was gone for all of ten minutes and you missed me."

He was mocking her and she struggled against him, bent on punching him he was sure, but he refused to let her go enough for that. He'd had just about all the violence he wanted from her for a while.

He slid his arms around her back and let one of his hands come up to cradle the back of her head. Then he leaned down and kissed her.

She sank into the kiss immediately, forgetting all about trying to hit him the moment his lips began to caress hers.

One of her arms came around his waist while she rested her other hand on his chest, running her fingers through the dark, coarse curls she found there.

" Love you," He murmured as he moved his lips to her jaw and began to lay of trail of kisses from there down to the base of her throat.

" love you, too." She sighed, " And your ice cream is melting."

He raised up and away from her, remembering his tray of goodies on the desk.

" What exactly is all that ?" She asked, eying it suspiciously as he moved to grab it and bring to the bedside.

" My reward." He told her simply.

Vanilla Bean ice cream, a can of whipped cream, both caramel and chocolate sauces and a bowl of cherries covered the tray.

" Your reward to winning the pillow fight is a sundae ?" She asked, apprehensively. " You forgot to bring a bowl."

" No, my reward for the pillow fight is a naked Kat sundae and I don't require a bowl." He answered, easing up on her slowing.

" A naked Kat sundae ?"

" You'll see." He smiled suggestively.

" No, I get the idea. I'm just not sure I want freezing cold ice cream on me and do you even know how sticky I'll be when this is over." She protested all the while letting him push her down to the bed using nothing but his body towering over her.

" That's what the shower later is for." He said a moment before covering her lips with his once again.

While he kissed her, he reached for the tray and grabbed one of the cherries from the bowl. Then he pulled back long enough to pop it into his mouth. When he kissed her again, his tongue darted at her lips, silently begging her to open them for him. She did without any hesitation and he transferred the cherry to her before taking hold on her tongue and sucking on its tip.

" MMM," She mumbled once he let go of her tongue and moved down to her throat again.

" See, this is going to be fun." He announced, reaching out this time for the squeezable bottom of caramel topping.

He sat back on his heels and opened the top. Then he raised the bottle over her chest. The minute the cold, thick, sticky liquid hit her skin she jerked. But a second later it started to warm up and she relaxed back onto the bed.

He moved the sauce in a careful pattern, stringing a trail over her collarbone, down the center of her chest, circling each of her nipples and leading down to her navel.

Once done, he recapped the bottle and set it aside before turning to look at his handiwork. She looked delicious, and he could barely wait to taste his two favorite flavors combined together, Kat and caramel, he couldn't imagine anything better.

First he reached out and slid his finger through the valley between her breast, a spot where a particularity large amount of the caramel had pool during his administrations.

Scooping up a dollop of the sweetness on his finger, he brought it to his lips and sucked it away teasingly, knowing she was watching him intently. With a sound of great satisfaction, he savored the flavor on his tongue for a moment before leaning over her and using his tongue to trace over the path he'd laid out. He worked slowly, lapping up every drop of the saccharine concoction.

Over her collarbone, down her chest, he moved lazily, swirling his tongue over her skin masterfully, sucking up every drop until her flesh was completely clean of the stickiness.

By the time he reached her breasts, her hands were tightly fisted in her comforter beneath her and she was emitting a low throaty, almost continual series of groans and gasps. Her shoulders were tense and her eyes squeezed shut tightly as she reveled in the feel of his mouth on her.

He came to her breast and spent a few long moments at the spot right between them, right over her breastbone. He nipped at her a couple of times and her hand removed itself from the comforter and found its way to his hair where she buried her fingers and flexed them involuntarily.

" Patrick," She groaned hotly when he moved to her left breast.

She was even louder when he arrived at her right one.

He licked at her skin, following his path down to her navel, carefully cleaning up his mess on the way.

She was squirming now, unable to keep still as he used his mouth to torture her mercilessly.

When he was done with her navel, even going so far as to dip his tongue into the cavern of her bellybutton, making her breaking out in a fit of ticklish giggles, he sat back and looked at for a long moment before reaching back to his tray.

This time he grabbed the ice cream and a spoon.

" This is going to be cold." He warned her before dragging the spoon across the frozen surface of the sugary confection.

Once he had a spoonful, he moved it over her center, turning the spoon upside down so it landed directly over her mound.

She jerked at the coldness, snatching her eyes opened and glaring at him.

He ignored her and took her leg in his hand, moving it over him so that he was now kneeling between her legs instead of beside them, effectively opening her up to his seeking gaze.

Staring down at her, he watched as the ice cream began to melt and trickle down the crevice made where her leg attached to her body. Fascinated by the sight, he lost himself for a time, until she began to wiggle under his scrutiny.

He sat the ice cream aside and took up the chocolate sauce now. Opening it with a flick of his thumb, he raised it just as he had the caramel earlier and let it dribble down over her quivering body. Thick, fat drops of dark brown sweetness splattered over her nether lips, sliding along her skin and leaving a sticky, messy trail in its wake.

Setting that aside without looking away from her, he searched out the whipped cream by feel alone. He uncapped it and gave a few quick shakes before lowering the nozzle almost directly to her skin. Then he began to make designs over her, covering from her dark, curls to her inner thighs in the light, airy goodness.

Done with that, he gave her a smug smirk before snatching another cherry from the bowl and dropping it over his carefully concocted work of art.

" I'm pretty sure this is going to be the best sundae I've ever had." He smiled as he moved back a little more so that he could stretch out on his stomach.

She didn't answer him, too busy quivering and shaking in anticipation to form coherent words.

Her eyes held his as he dipped his head down to her and let his tongue make a quick trail through the decadence of his creation.

She stopped breathing, he noticed because he could no longer hear the sounds of her uneven pants in the quietness of the room.

Starting at her thigh, he worked his way across her tender flesh, eagerly lapping up the whipped cream from her body. He remembered when he was little, he would put the nozzle of the can in his mouth and squirt it directly onto his tongue. But he couldn't ever remember it tasting as good as it did with the underlying taste of her joining it. There was something about her skin, it tasted like honey with just a hint of salt added in and the combination of the three flavors was mind blowing and sinful beyond his imagination.

He swirled his tongue around her thigh, before delving into the hallow made by her leg joining her body. He traced that path, now tasting the added treat of chocolate and ice cream to the already nearly overwhelming flavor assaulting his tongue.

He groaned against her, sending a vibration along her already overly sensitized flesh and she thrashed under him at the feeling.

He wrapped one hand around her thigh to hold her in place as he slid his tongue through her curls and nipped gently to take the cherry into his mouth. Biting down on it to release its flavor, he chewed it for a moment before darting his tongue back out to her body.

He closed his mouth over her sex this time, sucking up a great deal of the gooey mess that covered her body.

She arched her back and let out her breath at the same time. His name fell from her lips again and he reveled in the sound of it so low and throaty and desperate.

Removing his mouth from her to readjust, he returned quickly and this time used his tongue to carefully delved into her folds. Parting her lips artfully, he found the hidden of bundle of nerves there and flicked the tip of his tongue across it, sending a shudder all the way through her body. He could visibly see the goosebumps formed by his ministrations covering her skin and the sight was intoxicating.

He brought his free hand up and gingerly inserted his finger into her body while his tongue continued to graze over her center. He curved his finger and gave it a little wiggle that nearly sent her off the bed. He held her tightly, keeping her in place as he watched in fascination while she came completely undone for him.

He had never seen anything more beautiful, she thrashed against his finger and undulated her hips to press his mouth more firmly onto her. Her eyes were clenched tightly shut and the look on her face was something close to pain filled. But the sounds coming from her slightly parted lips were far from agony inspired.

When he stopped grazing his tongue over her and began to suck on the tiny pearl at the center of her body, she bit her lip in an attempt to keep from crying out loud. By the time he let a second finger join the first one she was arching into him with all the strength in her body and panting uncontrollably.

Then he removed both fingers and delved his tongue into her depths, unable to resist the thought of tasting her any longer. He used his finger now to stroke her in tiny circles while he reveled in the taste of her mixed with the sweetness of the ice cream and the bitterness of the chocolate. It was almost more than he could take. Sensory overload, the sound of her moans, the taste of her essence, the velvety soft feel of her under his tongue, the smell of her arousal, the sight of her laid out in front of him bucking uncontrollably under his touch. It was too much.

Then suddenly, she let out a loud growl and her entire body tensed at once. He felt her inner walls convulsing around his tongue and he tried to bury it deeper so he could feel more.

It was amazing the way she let herself go for him. Certainly not at all like she normally was. He was a witness to something so precious and special he couldn't help but feel privileged by the gift she was granting him. To see her lose control, to see Kat completely unabashed and shameless because of what he was doing to her, that was something he would never be able to forget.


	20. Chapter 20

Kat's heart was still pounding in her ears when she felt the bed move and realized that Patrick was now laying beside her. She dropped a hand heavily to his chest, because gross motor skills were really all she was capable of and turned her head to smile at him, because smiling was all she was capable of, too.

" I was right." He smiled back at her. " Best sundae I've ever had."

She gave him a quiet snicker in answer and turned to her side, wrapping herself around him. His arm came around her and he tugged her closer against him. But the second he felt her skin against his, he moved away from her and laughed. " You were right. You're sticky."

Then he was off the bed. In the next instant, he grabbed her into him and she was off the bed. She had to quickly wrap her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck to keep him from stumbling.

" What are you doing ?" She asked. " Put me down."

" No." He answered, walking them towards the door. " I'm cleaning up my mess. Doing my dishes like a good boy."

She laughed out loud at that. But still tried to stop him before he opened the door. " Bianca's here."

" She said she'd stay downstairs. We're just going to the bathroom." He waved off her concern. " It'll be fine."

Once in the bathroom, he sat her down on the counter and turned back to lock both doors before getting the water going. Then he came back to her and situated his body between her legs. His lips covered hers and she melted into him and wrapped herself around him again.

" This will be my first co-ed shower." She said when they finally broke apart.

" Mine, too." He answered with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

" Of course, that was the first time I've ever been used as a dish by anyone either."

" I've heard there are places in Japan where you can eat sushi off of a Geisha. You should apply. You're a very good piece of tableware." He said into her ear before running his tongue over the creases he found there. " I'll even give you a reference."

" Right." She laughed. " Because I would make an awesome Geisha."

He was wincing when he pulled back from her ear and moved to kiss her again. " Okay, probably not. I'll just keep you as my own personal plate."

She lowered her hands on his waist and moved the material of his boxers down his hips, sliding them from his body. He stepped out of them before coming back to her and bringing her back into his arms.

" Patrick, I can walk." She insisted.

" But I prefer you wrapped around me like this." He answered simply.

He stepped them into the shower and she reached out to slid the door closed behind them. She was afraid at first that he wouldn't be able to adjust the water just right for her. She was picky about her showers, like she was everything else. But the second the water hit her back she stopped worrying. It was perfect, just like she would have fixed it herself and she wondered how he could do that. It was scary how he seemed to be able to read her mind sometimes. He just knew things about her that he had no way of knowing.

The hot water rained down on her back as he continued to hold her in his arms and she sighed in contentment of the feeling in combination with the way his tongue was dancing around inside her mouth. His arms tightened as her skin became wetter and she started to slid out of his arms.

Finally with a sigh of his own, he put her back on her feet and turned her towards the shower.

She threw her head back and let herself become soaked. Turning back to him, she ran her hands through her hair to thoroughly wet it down as well.

He was against her again, letting his hands trail over her skin. " Are you purple or pink, not that I don't already know the answer to that ?"

" Purple." She answered knowing he was talking about the two body sponges in the holder that clasped around the shower head.

He chuckled as he took the correct sponge in his hand and grabbed the bottle of body wash as well. "I don't know why I even bothered to ask."

" It was kind of a stupid question." She agreed, turning back towards the spray of water.

She watched as he reached around her and placed the body wash back in the holder. Then he took her arm in his and held it out to her side. He dragged the webbed, puffy sponge over her skin, careful not to miss anywhere. Once he was done with that arm, he repeated the move with the other. Then he started on her back, soaping her up after moving her hair over her shoulder.

Turning her back towards him, his started on her front, sliding the foamy bubbles of the soap over every inch of her chest and shoulders and stomach. He carefully avoided her breasts at first, then when he was done with the sponge, having completely enveloped her entire body in bubbles, he set the sponge back in the holder and took her breasts into his still soapy hands. They slid over her skin easily and hypnotically. She let her head fall back as she simply enjoyed the feel of his hands on her skin. His thumb brushed her nipple and she jerked in response. Then he was moving. His hands sliding down her body, gliding down her chest and stomach until he reached her center.

He turned her then, and drew her back flush against his chest. He was wet too and she loved the feel of his soaked skin against hers. His hand was still resting right at her pelvic line, poised just above her center and she squirmed a little against him, eager to feel him touching her again. His other hand was at her hip, holding her tightly against him, so closely she could feel his chest moving as he breathed.

Then his hand on her hip moved and came up to cup her breast in his palm. She shuddered and groan as he gave it a soft squeeze.

" God, you are so beautiful." He breathed against her throat before letting his lips brush kisses along its column.

He took a second to move one of her legs out a little before letting his still soapy hand move down to her, again, throbbing center. Her mind flashed back to remembering how he told her this wasn't all they would ever do before they had sex for the first time and she nearly laughed. This was going on their third time since they woke up together that morning. It seemed neither of them could manage to keep their hands off the other for very long. Not that she was complaining too loudly while his thumb was flicking over her tight bundle of nerves and his finger was buried inside her.

She reached out with one hand to brace it against the wall while her other snaked around him, burying itself in his thick, wet hair.

" Patrick," She sighed dreamily as he began to increase the pressure of his thumb and the speed in which he was moving his finger. He let another one join the first and she arched back into him. He was like a musician with his favorite instrument in his hands. His touch was precise and careful and loving. A master at playing her body and bringing out the most beautiful symphony of feelings inside her.

Her undoing this time was far less intense than the earlier one. This one just seemed to roll through her body in a wave of ecstasy that made her legs threaten to give out under her. But he was right there, holding her against him, promising her without words that he would never let her fall.

When it was over and she managed to bring her body back under control. She gave one last shudder before turning in his arms and leaning up to kiss him.

As she did, she maneuvered herself around, pushing him until his back was against the shower wall. Then she reached up and grabbed the sponge that he had used on her, adding a bit more soap to it, she lathered it up in her hands before bringing it up to his shoulders.

She did to him exactly what he had done to her, dragging the sponge along his skin slowly as she carefully made sure not to miss an inch of his flesh. She took a great deal of time with his chest. God, she loved his chest. The dark hair covering his pecks intrigued her and she watched in fascination as the soap's bubbles clung to it. She traced over the lines of his abs, bumping over each of them in turn before turning her attention to the divot in his body created by his pelvic bone.

His head was resting against the shower wall and his eyes were closed as he let her do whatever she wanted to him. She was touched by the amount of trust he gave her, knowing he was not the kind of person that trusted easily. It was a gift, a precious gift that he entrusted to her and she promised herself that she would never purposely take it for granted or do anything to make him take it back.

Her hand trailed further down his body and she heard him hiss as she brushed the sponge gently over the tip of his hardness, a hardness that looked painful in its intensity. It was only then that she realized that he had spent the last hour at least driving her beyond crazy without getting anything in return for his efforts. And here she was just now promising herself never to take him for granted.

She dropped down to her knees, still using the sponge to soap up his legs. He opened his eyes lazily at the change in her position and reached a hand out to her shoulder as he smiled down at her.

Her eyes locked on his as she flicked her tongue across the tip of his throbbing length and he let out a low growl from between clenched teeth. Then, still keeping her eyes on his, she ran her tongue down the underside of his hardness before wrapping her hand around its base. He dropped his head back to the shower wall and closed his eyes as a groan fell from his lips this time. She started moving her hand, slowly at first, up and down his entire length, pausing at the base to give it a squeeze before resuming her journey. His eyes were still closed and his lips slightly parted. His chest was rising and falling a bit more rapidly now and he occasionally sucked in a sharp, quick breath that made his whole body jerk at the movement. She wrapped her lips around him and took him as far into her mouth as she could, before slowly, ever so slowly, drawing him back out, just to repeat the movement all over again. She was so caught up in watching him she almost forgot what she was doing. He was incredible like this, so strong and beautiful, like a mortal touched by a God's hand, chiseled out of a perfect piece of marble just for her, a karmic gift for some amazing thing she'd done in a past life. She knew she had certainly never done anything to deserve him in this one. But damn, staring up the expanse of his toned body, watching the muscles of his arms flex and relax in tandem with the rhythm of her mouth, the dark, lustful, almost pained look on his face that made her toes curls with wanting him, she decided she would have had to be Gandhi in a past life to deserve him.

Suddenly, his hands dropped heavily to her shoulders and slid around her arms, dragging her up the length of his chest. His eyes opened and he stared at her for a moment before he kissed her once and stepped out of the shower, leaving her standing there alone and having no idea what had happened or where he had gone.

Before she regain her senses and started to go after him, he was back, covered by a condom and looking at her hungrily. Then before she had a chance to say a word, he grabbed hold of her ass and pulled her up so quickly there was nothing she could do but wrap her legs around his waist.

He cupped her bottom in his hands as he swiftly shifted them so that her shoulders were resting against the shower wall. Then he was inside her, plunging in so deeply it took her breath away, both with the abruptness of the whole thing and with the unbelievable feeling of pleasure that tore through her body.

There was something decidedly different about him this time, something primal and hungry that she had never seen in his eyes before and it very nearly scared her in its intensity. His hands dug into her skin, fingers flexing into her flesh almost to the point of pain. He was moving inside her now and it wasn't easy or gentle or careful like he'd been the other times they were together. It was hot and torrid and frenzied and it ripped a long, throaty groan from the very pit of her stomach. He was making noises, too, grunting with each thrust he made into her. They were strong, powerful, deep thrusts that shook her entire body and jarred her teeth with their force. Her hands found his hair and she wrapped her fingers into his curls, pulling it slightly and causing his eyes to flash at her with a brand new ferociousness and making his body push even harder into hers.

Seeing the positiveness of his response, she tried to experiment a little, tugging at his hair harder and garnering a more intense reaction from him every time.

He was like a wild animal, his body plunging so rapidly and punishingly into hers, accompanied by a series of grunts that made her whole body quiver. There was no tender touches shared between them this time, they had done all that before. There were no murmured words of love exchanged, they both knew how they felt about each other. This was more than that. Something far removed from making love and much more primitive and feral. Untamed and abandoned.

The water fell over them as they bucked into each other, Kat now meeting each of his movements with her own, joining him on whatever plain of existence he had suddenly fallen into. They barely noticed the water, or the fact that it was no longer hot. They barely noticed anything besides their bodies grinding together and the sounds coming from both of them. No names screamed out in passion or moans offered up to higher beings. The capacity to form coherent words was beyond them both. The pure, unmitigated lust that course through them consumed every part of their minds and took over there souls as the strove towards the only goal that mattered to them at the moment, an end to the torture, a release.

When it arrived it blocked out everything else from their world. Nothing existed anywhere but the two of them and the powerful abandon that engulfed them both.

Then it was over in a rush that came on so swiftly it nearly caused them both to fall to the slippery, wet shower floor.

He was panting as he continued to hold her and somehow he manged to summon up the ability to shut the water off and get her out of the shower without stumbling or killing them both in the process, though she could feel his legs trembling and shaking under their combined weight. He made it was far as the other side of the shower door before he had to set her down. Then he slid to the carpet in a boneless, useless heap and she joined him, unable to do more than that herself.

His arm came around her and she still couldn't understand where he was finding the reserve of strength needed to make any movement at all. The pure physical exertion of what they had just experience had left her fully incapacitated. Her insides trembled with tiny little aftershocks in the wake of the intensity of what she had just lived through.

He turned his head to the hers and dropped a lazy kiss to her shoulder before giving her a smile.

She tried to smile back drawing on every bit of what was left inside her to make to gesture.

" Holy fuck." He panted. " I think I just saw God."

She simply nodded her head in agreement, understanding exactly where he was coming from.


	21. Chapter 21

After an awkward beginning, a comfortable kind of peace had settled over the Stratford household and Patrick Verona wasn't sure he knew how to handle it. This was not his normal, though the two women in the room with him looked perfect content as they sat around the family dining room table and chatted about their days. He realized that he felt totally out of place. He didn't do family dinners, hadn't since before he could remember. The closest he ever got was his mother and father eating off of trays in the living room while he sat on the floor and they all watched TV together. And even that wasn't something that happened very often.

To Kat and Bianca this seemed absolutely normal, totally mundane. It was all so civilized, so middle America and he couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth as he listened to them bicker about some girl they both seemed to know and either loathed or admired, depending on which of them was talking at the moment.

They were so different, yet watching them, it was clearly obvious that they came from the same stock. Bianca might be a touch less pronounced when she went into a tirade, but it held the subtleties of one of Kat's rant just around the edges. And while Kat pretended that she didn't believe in romance and fairy tales and dreamy things like that, there was a hidden romantic in her pleading to get out. It was strange, at times, even their facial expressions seemed to match in certain moments.

" What do you look so happy about ?" Kat asked, turning her attention towards him.

" Nothing," He shrugged. " I was just thinking this is nice."

Bianca nodded in agreement. " It is really good. I'm impressed." She told him taking another huge fork full of food and shoveling it into her mouth. " I think you might consider keeping him around." She informed her sister. Then she turned to the man sitting beside her and nudged his shoulder. " What do you think ?"

" I think it's really good, too." Joey bobbed his blond head in answer.

" I wasn't talk about the food." Patrick let the smile spread over his face as Kat reached out a hand for his and squeezed it gently.

" I know." She returned his smile. " And you're right. It is nice."

" That movie we wanted to see is about to start." Bianca said, pushing her plate away and getting to her feet. " You should come watch with us." She suggested to her sister. " I think you'd like it."

Kat glanced at him to see his reaction and he nodded to her with another smile. " I'm up for a movie. Just tell me something gets blown up and there aren't any subtitles."

" Oh, sure." Kat rolled her eyes at him. " Take all the fun out of it for me."

He grabbed her hand again and pulled her to her feet. " Take a night off from yourself. It'll do you some good."

Joey was getting to his feet beside Bianca and he turned to Patrick. " I saw your system set up in there earlier. Maybe after the movie we can all play." He was talking about the guitars and X box that he and Kat had left laying in the middle of the floor before the game of strip pillow fight.

" I'm thinking we can play against them. And the loser can do the dishes." Patrick suggested as they all made their way towards the living room.

" You and Joey against Bianca and I ?" Kat asked.

" Why not ?" He replied wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they walked. " Are you scared ?"

" No, I just think if we're going to play teams it should be them against us. After all, I know how much you cheat and I'd rather have you on my team." She snickered.

He grabbed her tighter and pulled her into his side, running his fingers over a particularly ticklish spot he'd found earlier and she chortled and jerked away from him gleefully. " I don't cheat." He said. " You just suck."

Bianca and Joey were already sitting on one end of the couch, bundled up together when they entered the room. The TV was on and the movie was just playing its opening credits. Kat lead Patrick by the hand to the other end of the couch and pushed him down into the corner before taking her place right next to him and leaning into his chest.

They settled back comfortably as the movie started to play.

It was a good movie. Things had indeed been blown up and there wasn't a subtitle in sight. Patrick approved wholeheartedly.

The game after the movie had turned intense at times. Joey nearly matched his skill on the guitar but Bianca didn't suck quite as bad as Kat so it evened out and in the end it was a fight to the finish.

One, he was very glad he'd won as he sat back against the side of the couch and wrapped his arms around Kat.

They were back to watching TV now, actually she was flipping through the channels and he was pretending to be interested in the things he knew she'd hate. After whining for a few minutes about wanting to watch South Park, he gave up and let her have her feeling of control.

He was too busy thinking about how easy it would be for him to get used to all this. The house, the comfort, the woman laying in his arms. It was all sort of surreal compared to his real life and he had to keep reminding himself that it was a temporary arrangement. Her father would be home in less than a week and it would all be over and he'd be back to trying to decide on whether to sneak into her window or crash on Keith's couch at night.

Then there was the days. There was less than two weeks left of school before the end of the year. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he really hated summer. He hated having to find something to do with his time to keep him away from the jackass.

He had considered maybe getting a job to get him through the next few months. The idea carried even more merit when he added in the bonus of the extra cash he'd have to take Kat out when he wanted, or buy her things.

He'd never tell her that though. She would never approve of him spending money on her like that. That is until he already had something sparkly in his hand to dangle in front of her. That was his Kat, a hard as nails outer shell full of fiery determination, with a soft, gooey center. The lion with the poet's heart. He had somehow managed to find the thing he liked most about himself in the woman that he loved. He enjoyed thinking of himself as marching to the beat of his own drum and it delighted him to know that she was apparently hearing the same one.

He never imagined he'd find someone like her. He had resigned himself to the fact that the woman he dreamed of simply didn't exist. But here she was, biting the tip of her nail as she continued to press the channel button on the remote in her hand while her head rested on his shoulder. The Yin to his Yang, his perfect match and he was extremely pleased that it had come wrapped up in such an exquisite package.

The noise from the TV settled and he glanced up at the screen to see what had captured her attention. It was a news broadcast, of course, about some war in some place he couldn't even pronounce the name of. He sighed in exasperation and snatched the remote from her hand.

" I thought you agreed to take a night off from yourself." He told her as she protested and grabbed for the remote again.

" I was just watching the news." She told him.

" No, there will be no news tonight." He informed her, keeping the remote well out of her reach even as she continue to lunge for it. " There will be no evil dictators, or war in the middle east. No terrorist, no environmental catastrophes. The Middle East, the terrorists, and Mother Nature will just have to get along without you for tonight."

" Fine," she huffed. " Then there's nothing on TV."

" On a Sunday night, what is the world coming to ?" He mocked her. Then he shifted her off of him and got to his feet. " I need to check on Spock. I got him a new kind of food today and I want to make sure he's eating it."

She got up as well and began to trail after him.

" You didn't have to come."

" Like I said, there is nothing on TV." She answered, grabbing his hand as they made there way out the front door and around to the side of the house.

Spock greeted them with a wagging tail as they entered the backyard and Patrick reached down to pat him on the head before giving his ears a scratch.

The big dog leaned his head into Patrick's hand for a moment before turning his attention to Kat and rubbing his cold nose against her leg.

She bent to pet him as well and Patrick walked off to where the dog food bowl was resting against the side of the house.

He had just turned back to them, satisfied that Spock was happy with his new food, when he noticed the dog's back stiffen and his ears perked in alert.

Patrick glanced around quickly, trying to find the source of the dog's unease. Kat was standing back up, watching the huge mutt warily and glancing around herself.

Then he heard it, a movement in the bushes and trees that surrounded the house and gave it shade. He started moving the second the sound registered in his ears, trying to get to Kat. When he reached her, he pulled her in behind him as he squinted into the darkness for a movement attatched to the sound of the rustling leaves.

It wasn't that hard to spot. He certainly wasn't trying very hard to stay out of sight and his drunken stumble was hardly stealthy.

" What are you doing here ?" Patrick snapped as his stepfather's cumbersome form came fully into the light from the streetlamp.

" She's leaving me." He slurred, stepping up to the fence that surrounded the yard and leaning against it heavily.

" Good." Patrick answered, as his hand came around Kat's back and he tugged her more closely into him, trying to shield her from view.

" She's leaving me because of you." Jeff shouted loud enough that Patrick was certain he was disturbing the neighbors in the quiet little cul de sac.

Jeff's blood shot eyes shoot upwards as he took in the house behind them. " You're really managed to get yourself set up." He mumbled almost incoherantly.

" Go over to the patio, get in the shadows and stay there." He whispered over his shoulder at Kat.

He could feel her shake her head against his back. " I'm not leaving you." She told him.

He wanted to yank her out from behind him and shake her.

" Kat," He said warningly.

The tension in the yard was nearly palitable. Patrick could almost taste it, it was so thick. " I need you to get somewhere and stay out of sight."

" She's don't have to leave." Jeff said, catching on to their conversation. " I'm not here for her."

" How did you find me ?" Patrick asked, trying to get his stepfather's attention away from his girlfriend.

" That policeman that you stumbled across the other night. Turns out he'll sell anything if the price is right and he's got a real good memory." Jeff explained, moving his hand to the catch that held the gate shut.

" Don't come any closer." Patrick warned. " In fact, I think you should probably go home now."

" You little shit," Jeff shot back at him. " You don't get to tell me what to do. That's not the way this works. Your momma wants you to come home. She says it's my fault you left."

" I'm not coming home." Patrick told him in a collected, even voice that showed no infliction whatsoever. " You can tell her she's as much to blame for that as you are."

" That's exactly what I figured you'd say." Jeff muttered. " I told her that already. She didn't believe me."

" What do you want, Jeff ? Why are you here ?" Patrick asked, taking a step back. If Kat wouldn't go to the patio without him, maybe he could manuveur her there and make her stay.

Jeff huffed and sputtered at him for a moment before trying to stand up and straighten his shoulders.

" I'm here because the way I figure it, if you weren't around to come home, then your momma wouldn't be so worried about you out here all on your own. Her precious baby." He mocked ridiculously.

But there something about his words that made the hairs on the back of Patrick's neck stand up. He wasn't trying to get him to come home. That wasn't his purpose. The situation was turning decidedly dangerous and all he could think about was Kat stuck against his back like she was made of cling wrap and refusing to save herself.

" Kat, I'm not playing anymore. Go now." He insisted, trying once again.

Jeff made a sudden move, yanking something silver out from his waistband at the small of his back and Patrick felt his stomach drop to his feet.

" Put that away, you drunk idiot." Patrick told him, hoping that a change in tactics might defuse the situation, being calm certainly hadn't help.

He heard Kat let out a squeal from behind him the moment she recognized the object Jeff was waving around in the air.

" You don't want to shoot me." Patrick continued as if he hadn't heard her. He had no intention of purposely bringing Jeff's attention back to her now. " Do you really think she'll take you back if you shoot me ?"

Spock choose that moment to leap at the fence. Then everything happened so quickly Patrick wasn't sure of anything anymore. He knew he felt Kat dart out from behind him. He knew he saw his stepfather pointing the gun at the dog. He knew he couldn't let Kat get between the two of them. He knew he jumped after her, moving so fast he didn't even know he was capable of it. Then his ears were ringing and the only thing he knew was that he couldn't move at all.


	22. Chapter 22

He wasn't aware of too many things. It was hard to concentrate on any one sound or feeling long enough to really understand it. There was a loud, sharp, dangerous sounding noise somewhere close to his head. It was nearly continuous and every time it sounded out, it caused him to jerk in surprise.

His shirt was wet and clinging to him uncomfortably, but he couldn't seem to lift his arms to move it away from his skin and he didn't understand why. There were voices, people talking all around him and they didn't sound familiar, but they all sounded very serious. There was something laying over his chest making it impossible for him to move, not that his body was cooperating with him anyway. He really didn't understand that. Nothing seemed to be wrong with him, he just couldn't move, couldn't really feel anything for that matter.

Numb, he felt incredibly numb and he couldn't figure out why.

He heard someone say something about a dog and a moment later the loud noise was gone.

Then suddenly the weight across his chest was being lifted away and though it struggled and jarred him in the process, it was finally removed completely.

There was crying. He could very distinctly hear the sound of crying, loud sobbing wails that sounded suspiciously like Kat and he struggled to move, trying to sit up so he could find her and figure out what was wrong. Kat didn't make sounds like that, not his Kat. Something had to be very wrong with her. He needed to get to her. He needed to find her and make everything okay. He couldn't stand the sound. The terrible, gut wrenching noise she was making was tearing him apart.

He made another move to get up, summoning every last ounce of strength in his body to do so, but before he could complete the movement, a hand was resting on his shoulder, pushing him back to the ground forcefully.

" It's going be okay, Man." A strange voice was telling him as a dark haired man looked down at him. " I just need you to lay still and let us do our job."

He wanted to tell the man that he had to go, had to get to Kat. He wanted to tell him that whatever job the man was trying to do wasn't nearly as important as him getting to her and making sure she was okay. But the only sound that actually passed his dry, chapped lips was a croaked, disturbingly weak noise that could barely be recognized as her name.

The man looked away and he heard him say her name. Then she was beside him again, her face coming into view from above him and she was an angel looking down at him, smoothing his hair from his forehead. Her eyes were swollen and red, tears streaking down her face. Her bottom lip trembled uncontrollably and her whole body was shaking where it rested next to his.

He wanted to reach out for her, but all he could manage was a slight twitching of his fingers. Still, she apparently understood because she took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips to lay a gentle kiss against his knuckles.

" It's going to be okay. The paramedics are here." She told him.

Paramedics ? Why on Earth was an ambulance there ?

He felt something stick his arm, like a mosquito bite and he made a move to brush it away, swat at it, but Kat held his hand firmly in hers.

He tried to move again, wanting to sit up and put his arms around her. She looked so lost, so incredibly sad and he wanted to comfort her. But when he moved something in his side blazed to life and he saw stars it hurt so badly. He tried to take a breath, realizing for the first time how very difficult that had become. Then his entire body was racked with a cough that shook him like nothing else ever had. The pain was unbelievable. He had never felt anything like it.

Kat was crying harder now and she choked out a desperate sounding, " Oh God," as he felt something dibbling from the side of his mouth.

The man who had spoken to him before came into his view and he smiled down at him reassuringly but it did nothing to alleviate Patrick's growing concern. There was definitely something very wrong with him.

" I need you to relax, Buddy." The man was saying. " Just lay still and relax. Everything's under control. We've got you. Just slow, easy breaths. And don't try to talk or move." His smile deepened. "You're going to be alright. I just need you to stay with us, okay ? Can you do that ?"

Patrick tried to nod, tried to tell him he understood even though he didn't, but now his eyes felt heavy and he was having a hard time keeping them opened. He looked back to Kat and she was giving him a watery smile of her own.  
He felt so cold, so incredibly cold, his whole body was trembling from it. Then there was a mask covering his face and he wanted to struggle against it because it nearly blocked his view of her but he couldn't make his head move. Then his eyes got heavier and he thought he heard the man again, telling him to stay with them again and Patrick thought it was strange because he obviously wasn't going anywhere. He couldn't even move.

" I'll be right here." She promised him. " I'm not going anywhere. Just keep looking at me."

It was the last thing he heard before it began too difficult to keep his eyes open any longer.

The paramedic made an expletive under his breath as Patrick's eyes drifted shut. Then there was movement. The two paramedics, one large and muscled with blond hair and a mustache, the other more stocky and compact with dark hair, were moving quickly, tearing at Patrick's shirt, examining the side of his chest, poking him with needles and taking vital signs.

" I put Spock in your room. And Daddy's on his way home." Bianca was telling her over her shoulder and Kat snapped her head around, tearing her eyes away from Patrick's face to find her sister.

" You called Dad ?" She demanded, anger quickly replacing the concern and worry that consumed her.

" You think I shouldn't have ? Someone was shot in our backyard, Kat. Police are running around everywhere and there's an ambulance out front. If I hadn't called him, don't you think one of the neighbors would have ? It's not like he doesn't have them waiting the house for him." Bianca defended herself.

Kat felt her anger deflate as instantly as it had expanded. Of course her sister was right. If they hadn't called there would be no living with him when he found out. Better he heard it from one of them.

" Do you want to ride with him ?" The paramedic was asking her. " We're about ready to move him ?"

" Of course I want to come with him. I told him I'd be here and I'm not leaving him." She answered immediately.

Another voice joined in the conversation. " I'm going to need a statement from you, Miss." A policeman was telling her.

" Then you'll have to come to the hospital to get it. I'm going with him." She told him as well.

" That's fine." He nodded in agreement. " We're be right behind you."

She wanted to tell him that the whole statement thing was dumb. They had seen the entire thing happen themselves. The shot had no sooner rang out than two uniformed policeman had Jeff on the ground, handcuffing him.

Too little, too late, She thought bitterly.

Bianca was standing right behind her and she put a hand on her shoulder to pull her away so the paramedics could move Patrick's seemingly lifeless body onto the stretcher.

" Come on, Kat. You have to let go so they can lift him." She was saying and it really did make sense, but letting him go was too difficult and eventually Bianca grabbed her hand and jerked her away from him.

Kat turned to her, almost angry. She would have been angry if she had any strength in her left to get angry with.

" Do you want me to follow you ? Joey has his car." She asked as she let her go and pretended as if there wasn't a mad look on her sister's face.

Kat's shoulders slumped in defeat and she nodded her head.

" Okay, we'll be right behind you." Then Bianca's arms were around her, pulling her into a tight embrace that nearly knocked the wind out of her. " He's going to be okay." She whispered into her shoulder as she held on to her.

Kat nodded again. Forming words just took too much effort, to much of her mental process and at the moment it was all consumed by him.

She let her arms fall away from her sister, not even realized she'd raised them to begin with and turned slowly back to the paramedics. They had Patrick on the stretcher now and were raising it to its full height so they could push it to the ambulance that waited in the front drive.

She walked along behind them, tying to ignore the looks from the curious neighbors as they watched the grime procession. It was somehow all so surreal to her. She could barely hear all the noise and chaos going on around her over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears.

The paramedics had tucked a blanket around Patrick, securing it tightly under the thin pad that he rested on and one of his hands had slipped out. It was coming very close to dangling over the side and she stepped up her pace, nearly running to keep up with the burly men that pushing him along. When she finally caught up, she took his hand in hers and held on to it as they approached the waiting ambulance.

The flashing, rotating red lights combined with the blue and white lights of the police cars that were parked everywhere. She glanced around and spotted something moving in the back of one of the cars.

A hatred like she had never known she was capable of almost possessed her and if it weren't for Patrick making a soft groaning sound as his mobile bed bumped over a crack in the sidewalk, she thought she might have ran to the car, yanked his stepfather out and beat him to a bloody pulp.

" What hospital are you taking him to ?" Bianca was asking as Joey jogged along behind her.

Joey gave her a sympathetic smile and she tried to return it. She really did, but she simply couldn't muster one up for him. She just looked away instead, letting her gaze find Patrick again.

" Mercy General." The paramedic answered as they stopped at the opened back doors of the vehicle.

One of the men gently, yet firmly moved her aside and he and his partner lifted the stretcher into the back of the ambulance with very little effort. Patrick's head lolled as they jarred him slightly in the process and Kat wanted to jump up beside him and hold him steady.

His lips were slightly parted and his eyes closed. His face looked relaxed and peaceful and she wondered if that was how he felt or if he were in a great deal of pain. She wanted to believe that it was the peaceful and relaxed alternative. She didn't want to think about him in pain. She didn't want to think about the blood covering the side of his white t-shirt so completely it was soaked from his shoulder to his hip when the paramedics had torn it away. Even now, under the blanket that covered him, she could see the beginnings of a trace of red where the bandage they had applied needed changing already.

How could they need changing already ? They had just put them on him. It was too much blood. There was just too much blood and she wondered how much he could possibly have left inside him.

Once they had the stretcher secured one of the men jumped up inside beside him while the other waited for her to climb in before closing the doors on them.

Something in her mind expected that once the doors closed there would be darkness. That was the way it worked in most vehicles, but the running lights above them stayed on, not altering in the slightest, even when the ambulance began to pull out of the drive and turned onto the street.

The man beside her was fiddling with something hanging from a pole above Patrick's head and she wanted to ask him what the bag contained. But again words escaped her. She couldn't concentrate long enough to make them pass her lips. Her tongue refused to move in order for her to make coherent sound so she stayed quiet and let her eyes fall to Patrick's face.

Other than a few quiet groans as they turned a corner or bumped over a pothole, he was completely silent. Even as he made those noises, his expression didn't change.

The ride seemed endless yet it took them little more than ten minutes to make the journey. The wails of the sirens rang in her ears and the lights from the police car following them made her dizzy, made her vision blur and she had to blink against it's effects.

Once they arrived everything began happening so quickly around her it was hard for her to keep up. The paramedics ushered her out of the back doors almost the moment they swung open and she watched as they moved the stretcher to the ground and lifted it to its full height once again.

Her mind was playing tricks on her. Thinking about the most inappropriate things and she figured it must be some kind of defense mechanism trying to take away some of her anxiety. She just couldn't help but marvel at the gurney and appreciate it for its ingenious design.

Then she was moving along with them, the hand in hers felt cold and she looked down to see that she had somehow managed to take hold of him again. She'd done it without even thinking about it.

They stopped at a set of double doors and the paramedic that had ridden beside her gave her a sympathetic smile that reminded her of the one Joey had given her a few minutes before.

Like he was trying to tell her everything was going to be okay without speaking the words and she appreciated the effort though she couldn't make herself believe the sentiment.

" I'm sorry, Miss. This is as far as you can come. Someone will be out soon to tell you how he's doing." He told her and she watched as he slipped Patrick's hand out of hers and tucked it into his side.

" But I told him I wouldn't leave him." She protested. " I said I wasn't going anywhere."

The bigger man continued to move the stretcher through the doors, pulling Patrick away from her while the other man took her hand and lead her over to a set of chairs in a tiny, cramped waiting area.

She let him move her around like she was some kind of doll he was posing. He pushed on her shoulders gently and suddenly she was sitting in one of the chairs.

" I know you said you weren't going anywhere, but we need you to sit right here and let the doctors do what they need to do to fix him. Can you do that for us ?" He asked and his voice was low and gentle and he was speaking slowly as if she were a moron that couldn't understand simple English.

She bristled inwardly but gave him a slight shake of her head in answer.

" Good." He smiled. " Can I get you anything ? Something to drink maybe ?"

" Coffee." She muttered.

He nodded. " How do you take it ?"

" Black." She muttered again. " I don't approve of processed sugar." Her words were flat and meaningless. She sounded like some kind of robot drone spurting out parts of her programing.

" Okay." He answered. " You wait right here and I'll bring you some."

" Will you find out if he's okay ?" She asked when he stood and turned away from her.

He nodded again. " Absolutely."

Then he was gone and she was alone and all she could do was think.

She tried to close her eyes, but every time she did the images repeated themselves over and over like they were on an endless loop in her mind.

It was her fault. If she hadn't jumped out from behind him to get to Spock, he wouldn't have dive in front of her and she wouldn't have had to see the image of his body jerking in mid air before it fell to the ground in a heap. He got shot protecting her. His instinct had been to save her regardless of what it meant for him.

She shuddered at the thought. She had heard people say they'd die for someone before, but it never really hit her like it did now. He was willing to die to protect her from harm.

" Miss Stratford ?" A new voice interrupted her and brought her back to reality. She jerked her eyes opened at the intrusion. " Do you think you can talk to us now ?"

It was the policeman again and she shook her head no. She didn't want to relive those moments again. She didn't have it in her to rehash everything that had happened.

She remembered somewhere in her mind something she had heard once seen on some cop show and she snatched on to it to make him go away, if for no other reason.

" I'm a minor. I don't have to talk to you without a legal guardian present." She said, her words sounding much more like her than they had in what seemed like hours.

He nodded and gave her a smile, this one less understanding than the nice paramedic and much more forced like he was somehow blaming her for the whole thing and suddenly her resolve not to talk to him strengthen.

" That's true. You don't have to talk to us without one of your parents here. But we aren't trying to charge you with anything. We just want to finish up our work here so we can put the man that did this behind bars where he belongs." He explained, taking a chair next to her.

_Damn him_, she thought, he was using reason on her. She hated that. She wasn't in the mood for reason.

Still there was something in his face that she didn't like. Something about him felt vaguely accusatory and she resented that.

" What do you want to know ?" She asked tiredly. Maybe if she just gave him what he wanted, he'd go away.

" Start at the beginning." He told her. " The man that shot your friend is his stepfather ?"

She nodded. " His name is Jeff Baker."

" And how did Mr. Baker end up in your backyard ?"

" He came there looking for Patrick." She answered quietly.

" Patrick is your friend that was shot ?" He continued.

" Patrick Verona, he's my boyfriend." She said snappishly.

" Okay, so Mr. Baker came to your house looking for Patrick. Why ? What was Patrick doing at your house ?"

" Patrick left home Saturday after he and his mother and stepfather had an argument. He's been staying with me since then." She explained in exasperation.

" So Patrick is a runaway ?"

And there it was, that accusatory tone again and her eyes shot to his face. " You can put your little notebook away. I'm done talking now until my legal guardian arrives." She told him, leaning her head back against the wall behind her and closing her eyes.

" Look, Miss Stratford." The officer began.

Kat snapped her eyes opened and felt the anger rush over her. " I said, I'm done talking to you." She repeated.

" Leave her alone, Nate. She's been through hell. This can wait." The paramedic was back and he was holding two cups of coffee in his hands.

" Back off, Pete, I'm just trying to do my job."

" It can wait." Pete answered, coming to sit on her other side and handing her a cup of coffee. " Right now she's concerned about someone she loves. Let her be."

Nate gave a little huff, snapped his tiny notebook shut and got to his feet. " We need to talk as soon as one of your parents arrive, Miss Stratford."

" Fine, I can't wait." She told him sarcastically. She turned to the man sitting next to her the moment he was out of sight. " How is he ? What's happening ?"

" Drink your coffee." Pete told her gesturing towards the cup in her hand.

" Tell me." She demanded sensing an attempt to veer her off the subject.

" Kat !" Bianca called as she came around the corner and spotted her sitting there. She came to her and put her arms around her, bending over her chair awkwardly. " How is he ?"

" I was just about to find out." She answered, turning her attention back to Pete.

" They're just about to take him to surgery." He said, quietly.

" There's more." Kat said. " I'm not stupid. You wouldn't have that look on your face if there wasn't more."

Pete blinked at her rapidly and his eyebrows raised to his hairline. " He has a ruptured diaphragm. We knew that." He answered. " That's not so uncommon and usually it's pretty easy to repair."

" Usually, but not this time ?" Bianca asked, sitting down next to her sister.

Pete took a deep breath and run his hand through his dark hair. " The doctor's think the bullet may have broken one of his ribs. They think the piece of his rib may have pierced an organ." He told them. "They're running tests now to see what kind of damage was done. He's lost a lot of blood and he's in shock."

Kat felt her eyes getting bigger the more he talked. There was a grime look on his face that she definitely didn't like. " What are you saying ?" She demanded, cutting him off before he could continue. " Is he going to die ?"

" Just calm down." He was telling her, resting a hand reassuringly on her leg. " We'll know more after they get him to surgery."

Kat jumped to her feet and started to move, no longer able to sit still. She had to do something. She had to get up and move around. " You didn't say no." She said after a minute.

" What ?" Pete asked, clearly confused.

" I asked you if he was going to die and you didn't say no." She repeated, explaining herself more clearly. " I need you to say no." She started pacing and wringing her hands so hard it made her fingers hurt. " See, he did this to save me. He jumped in front of the fucking bullet to save me. So, I need you to tell me he isn't going to die."

She was pretty sure she wasn't making much sense. Even she could barely keep up with the panicked staccato of words falling from her mouth. People lived through getting shot all the time. They were in a hospital. There were doctor's here. Her father worked here. He always said he worked with some of the best doctor's he'd ever known. And people didn't die from gunshot wounds anymore. Not when they got to a hospital so quickly. And they had gotten here quickly.  
Bianca and Pete were watching her carefully and she realized she had just said all that out loud. Words were tumbling out of her mouth without meaning, without anything lacing them together except the one underlying thing she couldn't get past.

He just simply couldn't die.

She'd already lost so much. She couldn't lose him, too. She'd never survive it. She'd never recover. And he still hadn't said he wasn't going to die and she felt like she was going to fall apart if someone didn't tell her that soon. She needed to hear it, needed the words to grab on to, to hold her sanity together.

They were still watching her as she ranted and paced and she was still talking out loud without meaning to and she couldn't seem to stop herself. Everything that popped into her head fell from her lips with no filter to stop them.

Finally Bianca got to her feet and moved in front of her, wrapping her arms around her and holding her tightly and all Kat could think as she sobbed uncontrollably into her sister's shoulder was that no one would just simply tell her he wasn't going to die.


	23. Chapter 23

She felt like she had been sitting there for hours. Every muscle in her body ached and protested loudly with each venture at movement. Bianca had long since curled into a ball in her chair with her head resting on Joey's shoulder. They were both asleep. Miss Tharpe was sitting a chair beside them, sleeping as well now. Someone had called her. Kat thought it was Bianca. She didn't really know for sure. She just wished she hadn't come.

Kat ended up spending a good half hour once she arrived explaining to her that she didn't want to talk about it, didn't want to be in her trust circle, didn't need a group hug and really just wanted to be left alone.

There had been no doctors, no nurses, no news of any kind. For all Kat knew he could be dead. The only information she got came from Pete and he had been on a call for almost an hour now. She wished he would show back up so she'd know what was happening. The not knowing was killing her.

She got to her feet and stretched, raising her arms over her head in order to alleviate some of the soreness from her body.

It didn't help and she shrank back into herself with a disappointed sigh.

Her phone, which rested in her front pocket started to vibrate and she knew who it was without looking. Making her way swiftly to the automatic doors that lead out of the Emergency room, she snatched the phone out and pushed the talk button as soon as the night air hit her.

" I still don't know anything." She said without waiting for a hello.

" I'm sorry. Are you sure there's nothing I can do ?" Mandela asked in a soft gentle voice.

" No, there is nothing to do right now except wait and hope someone will tell me something eventually." She answered in frustration.

" Kat !" She heard a very familiar voice exclaim from behind her and she turned quickly towards it.

" Dad."She answered as he came up to her and put his arms around her shoulders.

" I have to go." She told Mandela before snapping the phone closed and wrapping her arms around her father. She hadn't known how great it would feel to have him with her.

" Are you alright ? You didn't get hurt, did you ?" He asked, pulling away from her so he could look her over carefully.

"I'm fine. But only because of Patrick." She answered.

He narrowed his eyes slightly at that. " You can tell me what you mean by that later, right now how is he ? What's going on ?"

She shook her head and the tears were back full force. " I don't know. I'm not family so they won't tell me anything. I've tried to get them to talk to me. Last I heard, they were taking him to surgery. They think one of his ribs pierced one of his organs but they weren't sure which one."

" Okay," Walter told her, pulling her back into his chest. " Let's just calm down. They won't talk to you, but they'll talk to me. I am a doctor here."

He moved them inside, guiding her along with his arm around her shoulder. Once they arrived at the nurse's desk he smiled to the older red haired woman sitting behind it.

" Penny, how is everything ?" He asked her jovially.

" Everything's fine, Dr. Stratford. No babies on the way today." She answered.

" I'm not here about anyone else's baby tonight. I'm trying to take care of my own babies at the moment." He gave Kat's shoulder a squeeze. " I understand there was a young man brought in earlier with a gunshot wound. Name's Patrick Verona."

Kat looked startled for a moment. He hadn't known her father remembered Patrick's first name, rather-less his last.

" Yes, sir. I can go check on him for you, but I think they still have him in surgery." She answered getting up and disappearing through a doorway.

She returned a few minutes later. " Okay, Dr. Stratford, He's in OR three. They say the surgery went well and they are just about through with him. Dr. Hollis said to tell you to go to the OR waiting room and he'd be out to talk to you as soon as they're done."

" Do you know what took so long ? He's been here for nearly four hours. Why are they just finishing up now ?" Walter asked her with his brow creased in concern.

" I'm not sure." She answered. " I know they thought there might have been some liver or pancreatic damage from a splintered rib. Maybe that's why they've had him in there so long."

Walter nodded and smiled at her. " Thank you, Penny. I'll see you later."

He lead Kat over to the chairs where the rest of his family was sitting and took the chair beside Bianca. Shaking her shoulder softly, he called her name.

" Daddy," She said, blinking the sleepiness from her eyes and immediately wrapping her arms around him.

Walter glanced up at Kat and gave her a stern look. " We are all going to sit down and have a long discussion about why there is all this male company around while I was out of town." He said, but his tone wasn't angry and Kat appreciated that.

Bianca let him and went about waking Joey while Walter did the same to Miss Tharpe.

Once everyone was up, they trudged towards the elevator, with Walter leading the way.

He had just pushed the button when they all turned towards a commotion happening at the nurse's desk.

Kat felt her stomach drop as she spied Patrick's mother, wearing a blue stripped bikini top and a pair a way too tight, way too short shorts. Her feet were bare, her long dark hair a tangled mess. Massacre smudged around both of her eyes, fire engine red lipstick smeared over lips that were too full to begin with.

Walter heard the name Verona and turned towards Kat in question.

" It's his mother." She whispered.

" That's his mother ?" Walter asked incredulously.

Kat nodded and Walter left them all there and went to the desk. He reached a gentle hand up to Maggie's shoulder to try to calm her, but she jerked away from him quickly.

" Who the fuck are you ? Where is my kid ?" She demanded in a drunken slur.

Walter took a step back. " I'm thinking you probably should have been asking that question hours ago." He snapped when she turned on him. " I'm Dr. Stratford. If you'll just try to calm down I can tell you what's happening with Patrick,"

" I don't want to calm down. I want to know where my fucking kid is. Are you the one taking care of the good for nothing little hoodlum ?" She asked.

" I am now, if the state will allow it." He told her before turning on his heel and walking back to

Kat.

" What the fuck is that supposed to mean ? Where is my son ?"

Walter turned back to her abruptly. " Your son is in surgery. He's there apparently from what I have gathered from my daughters because your husband shot him." He took a deep breath as if trying to control his temper. " I suggest you go home and sleep off whatever you're on. Then you can come back here and check on him. He's not going anywhere."

She walked over to them with a quick, albeit staggered step. " My husband says Patrick pulled the gun. He says he was trying to defend himself. I suggest you get your facts straight before you try judging me."

" BULLSHIT !" Kat yelled leaping forward. Walter caught her a moment before she could get her hands on Patrick's mother.

" Watch your mouth, young lady." Her father chided her but there was no real meaning behind the words. It was like he was saying them out of habit or because he was supposed to.

" I think, Madam, that I'm the one with my facts straight." Walter told Maggie. " Perhaps you're the one that's confused."

" You don't know my son. He's trouble, has been since his father left us." She began, her voice slightly lower in volume.

Walter rolled his eyes. " I can't imagine what might have brought on that turn of events." He said sarcastically. " And might I just add at the risk of sounding repetitive, bullshit. I do know your son. I've given him permission to date my daughter so apparently I know him better than you do. He's a good kid who drew the really shot straw when it came to parents."

With that, Walter turned away from her and hustled his family into the waiting elevator.

" Wow," Bianca said once the doors closed. " That's his mother ?"

Kat nodded briskly still fuming over the incident. Walter put his arm around her shoulder again.

" I know, Sweetheart." He told her, laying a kiss against her temple as his arm tighten around her. "But I'm here now and I'll take care of everything."

Kat melted against him wanting nothing more than to believe that. She knew she didn't have much that longer to enjoy having her father there to make everything right in her world. Soon she would be on her own and it would be up to her to figure it all out. But for the moment, it was nice to know he had her.

They didn't wait for long once they were all settled in the still very uncomfortable chairs outside of the operating room. In fact, they were barely seated before an older man with round glasses perched on his nose, a healthy paunch and a halo of graying hair walked into the room wearing a pair of blue scrubs.

" Walter," He said extending his hand out.

Kat's father took it and shook it in a friendly manner. " How is he ?"

" He's in recovery and we have every reason to believe that he'll be just fine." The man said as Walter lead him over to a chair and sat down with him.

Kat felt her heart racing as she watched the man lace his hands in front of him. " We had to do some extensive repair to his pancreas. And there's a chance that it might not have been enough. We're monitoring his blood work to see what kind of lasting damage we're talking about."

" Lasting damage ?" Kat squeaked, drawing the attention of both of the older men.

The man in the scrubs nodded. " With pancreas damage there is always a chance of diabetes, digestive problems, things like that but it isn't anything that can't be control through a health lifestyle, diet and medication."

" He's going to be a diabetic ?" She asked, her mind involuntarily flashing back to his naked Kat sundae. " He'll hate that."

" Maybe." Walter interjected. " But he'll live and I'm sure he'd opt for that alternative."

" Of course I don't have to explain to you the risks that come along with any type of invasive surgery like this was, sepsis, wound infection, ongoing bleeding, coagulopathy, pneumonia, intra-abdominal fluid collection. We're watching him closely and hope to remove the ventilator tomorrow."

" He's on a ventilator ?" Kat asked again, feeling like she was just repeating everything the man was saying in the form of a question.

" They had to put him on the ventilator for the surgery, Sweetheart." Walter told her, putting his hand on her leg for comfort.

" He had some diaphragm injuries as well, but we hope that those will heal quickly. It wasn't anything too severe." The older man said reassuringly. " The fact is, he's young, in good physical health, strong as an ox. I have little doubt that he'll make a full recovery. He's already showing signs of improvement."

" See, Kat," Bianca said from beside her. " He's going to be fine."

Kat nodded, still not wanting to let herself really believe what she was hearing.

" Is he one of yours ?" The doctor asked her father.

" He's my daughter's boyfriend." Walter answered. " So yes, for all intents and purposes, he's one of mine."

Kat blinked at him in surprise. Her father had never really been a fan of Patrick's. It surprised her that he was claiming him like that.

" I'll make a note on his chart. You know how it is in any hospital. We take care of our own."

Kat bristled at that. " He shouldn't get special treatment just because he's being claimed by a member of your staff." She said even though she could barely believe the words were coming out of her mouth. She wanted him to have as much special treatment as he could get. But still it didn't seem fair and she couldn't help but make the observation.

" I don't think anyone is going to suffer from the fact that he might get a few extra minutes on his visiting hours or an extra jell-o cup with his meals." Walter told her, placating her.

Kat gave him a smile and shut up realizing that it was a battle she didn't even want to wage. He was right. There was no harm done in Patrick getting a few extra privileges. He deserved them after all.

The doctor exchanged a few more pleasantries with her father before getting to his feet and leaving them alone.

" You still looked worried." Bianca told her. " That was good news. You should be smiling."

Kat nodded. " Not yet."

Walter turned to her and somehow he seemed to just know exactly what she was thinking just by the look on her face. " This isn't the same thing, Kat. He's going to be fine."

" That's exactly what they said the last time Mom came to the hospital. They said she'd be fine and twenty-four hours later she was gone." She mumbled.

" I know, Sweetheart. But this isn't like that. You'll see." He said wrapping his arm around her and pulling her into his chest.

" When can I see him ?" She asked.

" Tomorrow. After they take him off the ventilator." He answered.

" Why not now ?" She insisted.

" Because he's in recovery right now, so no one can see him. And after that, its because I think it would be best for you to wait until tomorrow when he's off the ventilator and nothing you can say is going to change my mind about that. So you'll just have to wait." He said.

" But Dad-" She started.

" Nothing you can say is going to change my mind." He repeated. " I won't have you go through that. It's not pretty. It's not nice and while I may not be able to protect you from all the evils in the world. I can protect you from having to see someone you care about like that. End of story."

She shifted in his arms, not happy but sensing there was little she could do about it.

Then he sat up and moved her off of him. " I can do this, though." He told her, getting to his feet. " I'll go have a look and check on him myself. Will that make you feel better ?"

She nodded and gave him a smile. " Thanks, Daddy."

She watched him walk away before turning to Bianca and Joey.

" You don't have to stay. I appreciate you coming, but Joey should take you home and then get home himself." She said.

" If you're staying we want to stay, too." Bianca answered, though Joey looked a little less enthusiastic. Obviously he had had enough of sitting in waiting rooms and she completely understood that.

" No, go. I'll be fine." She insisted. " Go home. I'll see you tomorrow."

" And I'm going to stay here, so she won't be alone." Darlene interjected.

Kat shook her head quickly. " No, you should go, too. Dad's here. It's fine. I'm fine."

" I'm not leaving." She told her firmly. " You need to talk about this. I'm going to be right here when you're ready to do that."

She took a deep breath. She was trying extremely hard to be nice to Darlene out of respect for her father. She owed him that. She knew he didn't especially care for Patrick, yet he was making an effort for her sake and she really wanted to return the favor and be nice to her father's girlfriend. She just wished his girlfriend didn't make it so difficult.

" Like I said before, I don't want to talk about this. I'm not ready and I won't be for a long time. You should really just go home and get some sleep. You have to work in the morning after all." Kat explained, very proud of herself for keeping her voice calm and even. There was barely any bite in it at all.

Darlene gave her an understanding smile like she knew what kind of effort it was taking for Kat to be nice and she stood.

She handed a small piece of paper to Kat. " This is my number. Call me whenever. I don't care if it's three in the morning or three in the afternoon. Anytime."

Kat nodded and accepted the card, shoving it into her front pocket.

She watched them all walked together to the elevator and there was something close to relief in her when they got in and disappeared from sight.

Finally alone, she stood up and stretched again. She had been sitting for way too long and she needed to move.

She thought about waiting for her father. But there was an urgency she didn't understand dragging her feet down the corridor of the quiet hospital. She turned down a hall and found a door that gave her pause.

CHAPEL, the small plaque beside it read in bold white letters.

She had never been the religious type. She didn't believe in organized religion. She was a very spiritual person in her own right. She just didn't understand the need for people to come together as a whole in order to do something they should be doing all the time. Communing with God wasn't something that should only happen on Sundays while safely tucked away inside a church with everyone else that was there trying to make up for everything they did the Saturday before. That wasn't what she felt church should be about.

Still there was something vastly comforting that set into her bones the moment the door to the small room opened and she stepped inside.

She couldn't help it, as she made her way towards the front of the tiny church, her mother's favorite song came to her mind and she smiled at the memory. It was like her mother was there, sitting beside her as she took the first pew and stared up at the statue of Jesus in front of her.

_**When I find myself in times of trouble, **_

_**Mother Mary comes to me**_

_**Speaking words of wisdom,**_

_**Let it be **_

The words seeped through her brain as if they were put there by an outside force and she closed her eyes and rested her head on the pew behind her as she let herself listen to them.

_**And in my hour of darkness **_

_**She is standing right in front of me, **_

_**Speaking words of wisdom, Let it be**_

_**Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be**_

_**Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.**_

_**And when the brokenhearted people living in the world agree**_

_**there will be an answer, let it be**_

_**For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see, **_

_**There will be an answer, let it be**_

_**Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be**_

_**Yeah, There will be an answer, let it be. **_

_**let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be**_

_**whisper words of wisdom, let it be**_

_**Let it be, let it be, let it b, let it be**_

_**whisper words of wisdom, let it be**_

_**And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me**_

_**Shine until tomorrow, let it be**_

_**I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary calls to me**_

_**Speaking words of wisdom, let it be**_

_**Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be,**_

_**There will be an answer, let it be**_

_**Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be**_

_**Whisper words of wisdom, let it be**_

As the last words of the sang rang through her mind, she opened her eyes and batted away the tears that had formed there.

_Please God, if you can hear me, let Patrick be okay, let it be_, she thought into the quiet of the room.


	24. Chapter 24

Everything inside him hurt with a force that made him want to whimper out loud. He wasn't sure where he was still and he couldn't figure out why he couldn't move his arm normally. There was something on his hand, actually it felt more like it was IN his hand and he had no idea what that was about.

He gave some serious thought to opening his eyes so he could make a better assessment of his surroundings and circumstances, but the pain in his head told him it would be a bad idea. Then he remembered Kat, the last thing he remembered about Kat. She was upset, crying, in fact. HE recalled that there was something very wrong with her and he jerked his eyes opened and tried to sit up quickly.

His head swan with the sudden movement and let it fall back to the pillow under him without too much protest. He just couldn't seem to find the strength or the energy to fight against the urge to lay back and be quiet.

He blinked against the harsh light that illuminated the tiny room.

" There he is." A strangely familiar voice announced and he heard movement from the other side of the room. It was a male voice and he tried very hard to picture the face that it belonged to, but it escaped him and again, he couldn't seem to conjured up the effort required to think about it too hard.

Finally, the man came into view, stepping up to the side of the bed he was laying in and looking down at him with a genuine smile that looked very out of place. Patrick couldn't ever remember getting that kind of look from Dr. Stratford before. He wondered what he had done to deserve it now.

He tried to open his mouth to speak, and that's when he realized that there was something shoved down his throat, making it impossible to make any noise other than a grunt.

He tried to fight the panic that seized him, especially in front of the man that was watching him so closely. He didn't want to lose his cool in front of Kat's father. But fighting the panic was becoming more and more difficult as he tried to move and realized he wasn't being very successful at it.

Walter Stratford shocked him by placing a hand on his shoulder and making a calming noise. " Sh," He told him. " Just lay still. I'll get your doctor and we'll get that tube out of your throat."

Patrick nodded in agreement and laid his head back again once Dr. Stratford left his vision. Only a few moments later he returned with another man and a woman, both dressed in green scrubs.

" Are we ready to try to do this on our own ?" The man asked, looking down at him with another smile that people rarely gave him.

But he nodded as if he knew what the man was talking about even though he had no idea really.

" Okay." He answered. " You have a tube in throat that's connected to a machine that's helping you breath." Patrick blinked in surprise, not understanding why he needed help breathing. The doctor, he assumed he was a doctor anyway, he certainly looked like one, seemed to understand and his smile deepened even further. " We'll talk about all that once you can join the conversation. What we're going to do," He began as he reached up and removed a piece of tape from the corner of Patrick's mouth, " is take the tube out. It won't hurt, but it might feel a little uncomfortable." He took off another piece of tape and then another. " I just need you to give me a cough once I start to take it out."

Patrick shook his head, thinking that coughing right now was not a good plan. There was the tube first off, his chest hurt secondly and then there was the headache that would not like it at all.

" It'll be fine." The man said, taking the tube in his hand and nodding. " Are you ready ?"

There was a tugging in his chest, a tugging like nothing he had ever felt before and it then his body seemed to take over all on its own, dragging a deep, racking cough from the bottom of his lungs. He felt the tube sliding up his throat and it was the weirdest thing he'd ever felt, like swallowing in reverse. The doctor was right, there was no pain involved, just weirdness.

He continued to cough and gag as the tube continued to come out and Patrick's eyes got big as he saw just how long the thing was. How that could have possibly been in his body was beyond him.

The cough remained even after the tube slid free and with it came a burning in his throat that was sheer torture. Someone, maybe the nurse, maybe Dr. Stratford, forced a cup into his hand and he took a long drink of the cool water to put out the fire in his chest.

" Now, that's better, isn't it ?" The doctor asked.

" Where am I ?" were the first words out of his mouth. Then without waiting for an answer, the next words came. " Where's Kat ?"

" You're at Mercy General. I'm Dr. Hollis. And I'm not sure where Kat is." The man in the scrubs answered.

" Kat's in the waiting room. She's fine, worried about you, but other than that, she's fine." Walter interjected still with that puzzling smile on his face.

" Why am I here ?" Patrick asked, trying to sit up again.

" Your stepfather shot you." Walter answered again.

He did bolt upright this time, ignoring the tugging in his hand and the pain in his side and chest. " He tried to shoot Kat. Is she okay ?"

Walter blinked in surprise, the smile falling from his face and got quickly to his feet. " He tried to shoot Kat ?"

" She was trying to keep him from shooting Spock." Patrick explained though he was pretty sure he wasn't making much since and words just kept pouring out of his mouth unbidden.

" Who is Spock ?" Walter demanded.

" My dog. He's staying in your backyard."

" I need to talk to my daughter." Walter announced as he strolled from the room without a backwards glance.

" I want to see Kat." Patrick told the two people remaining.

The doctor gave him a little chuckle. " Looks like she might be a little busy for the moment, but we'll see what we can do when he's done with her. In the meantime, just lay back and relax. Try not to move around too much."

He didn't feel like he would have too much trouble following those orders, the efforts of the last few minutes had already taken a toil on him and let himself fall back into the bed.

" We removed the bullet with very little problems. There was some damage to your diaphragm, nothing too serious, though. That should heal up just fine in a week or so. And one of your ribs was broken, we've repaired that as well. Again, that should heal up nicely as long as you take it easy for a few weeks and give it some time." He paused and his smile returned as if he were about to tell him something he wasn't going to like. Patrick braced himself for what ever it was. " Now the bad news," He told him. " The rib splinters and a pretty sizable piece of it became embedded in your pancreas. We've repaired that damage as well, managed to save the pancreas. We don't know how well that worked out and we won't until it has enough time to heal as well. Right now, it's working, but it's very sluggish."

" Meaning ?" Patrick asked after swallowing another gulp of water.

" Meaning we have you on insulin at the moment and a few dietary supplements to help aid digestion. The thing is, there is nothing that the pancreas does that we can't do through medication and diet. This is not the end of the world. Even if the organ stops working all together, which is a possibility, you can still lead a reasonably normal life."

Patrick raised his eyebrows. " A reasonably normal life as a diabetic ?"

The doctor's smile deepened and he nodded. " Well, yeah, that's exactly what it means."

" An insulin dependent diabetic or one that can be control with pills and diet ?" Patrick asked this time, still eying the man carefully.

The doctor looked a little surprised, maybe that he knew there were different types. " My grandmother was a diabetic. I understand what it means. I helped take care of her after she lost her LEG because of it." He told the man. " So before you start down the ' everything will be fine, this isn't the end of the world' road I'd appreciate it if you stopped the bullshit and just gave it to me straight."

The smile fell from the older man's face and he cleared his throat. Patrick watched as his entire demeanor changed and a serious, no-nonsense look took over his face. " Alright." He nodded. " We aren't sure how dependent you'll be, or even if you will be. The pancreas is a strange organ. Sometimes these things take care of themselves and it begins to work again as if nothing ever happened to it. Sometimes it stops working, and completely shuts down after an injury of this type. We just won't know for a while. The fact that it is working at all is a good sign though."

" How long until we know for sure what's happening ?" Patrick asked.

" A month, six weeks. That will give it plenty of time to figure out what it wants to do."

" In the meantime ?"

" We keep a close watch on your blood sugar. That's our biggest concern, of course. It'll mean daily monitoring. We'll provide you with the supplies you need in order to do that and show you everything you need to know before you leave here."

" And that will be ?"

" In a few days. We have to keep you here to monitor other things as well, post operative problems that can arise from any kind of invasive surgery like what you've been through." He answered, still sticking to the straight forward approach.

Patrick closed his eyes for a moment to let all the new information sink into his brain. Then he realized it was going to take more than a moment to process it all. He decided to put off the thinking until later.

" Can I see Kat now ?" He asked when he opened them again.

" I'll go find her." The nurse answered, speaking up for the first time since she came into the room.

The doctor turned to follow her out. And he was alone for the first time since waking up. He wondered what happened to Jeff. He wondered if his mother had been told. He wondered what Dr. Stratford would do to him when he worked through the logic that lead him to the inevitable conclusion that Patrick had been at his house at ten o'clock on a school night while he was half way across the country. He was surprise Kat's father hadn't started off with that. It seemed like something he would consider important enough to talk about right off, or probably yell about would be more accurate.

He didn't have too much time to contemplate what it would mean when Dr. Stratford did figure it all out before the door flung itself opened and suddenly she was there beside him, covering his chest with her body. She was moving gingerly like she was trying not to jar him too much, but she couldn't seem to help herself. Her arms came around his shoulders and she was clinging to him. His arms came around her as well, pulling her in closer and holding her to him with the same kind of desperateness to his embrace.

" Are you okay ?" She asked, when she finally raised her head.

" I'm fine." He nodded. " I'm more concerned about you right now. Are you okay ?"

She gave him a chuckle and swiped her hand over her face in an attempt to remove the tears from her cheeks that they were both ignoring. " I'm fine. You shouldn't be worried about me. You're the one that got shot."

That reminded him. His mind instantly replayed the vision of her lunging out from behind him, struggling to make it the dog that was barking beside him. And suddenly he was angry. Very angry.

" How could you do that ?" He demanded out of nowhere. " How could you put yourself in danger like that ? Why couldn't you have just gone to the house like I asked you to ?"

She shrank back from him, the weight of his words looked as if he had hit her instead of yelled.

" You are blaming me for this." She stated. It wasn't an accusation. It wasn't defensive. It was a simple statement of fact. Then she shook her head as if to clear it. " Of course you are. How could you not ? I'm sorry, Patrick. I'm sorry I got you shot. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I'm just sorry. Please don't be mad at me. I wasn't thinking. I made a mistake. I just couldn't sit there and watch him shoot Spook. I know how much he means to you."

" How could I not be mad ? Do you know what you did ? Do you even understand ?" He spat, too angry to keep his voice under control.

She got up and turned away from him for a moment. When she turned back there were more tears this time. " Of course I understand. I got you shot. I did something stupid and you paid the price for it." She answered quietly. " I completely understand why you're angry. You might be a diabetic for the rest of your life and it's my fault. If you want me to leave, I'll go. I don't know what else to say besides, I'm sorry."

He sat up and looked at her, trying to figure out what she was saying. Then he took a deep breath and held his hand out to her. She looked at it for a moment. " I can't come over to you. Work with me here." He told her as he thrust his hand towards her.

She almost smiled. He saw it peaking around the corners of her beautiful lips. It was a start anyway.

Finally she took his hand and he pulled her back to the bed with him. " I'm not angry that I got shot." He explained as she laid her head gently on his chest. " I would gladly jump in front of a bullet a hundred times if it kept you safe. I'm angry that you put yourself in danger to begin with."

She raised her head and found his eyes. " I thought you weren't sure about all that last breath defending, heroic valor and death defying devotion." She teased with a sparkle in her eye.

He rolled his eyes and smiled at her. " What can I say ? I guess you've made me a believer. Now promise me I won't have to use any of those things again. I don't want to have to defend you with my last breath, or use any sort of heroic valor to keep you safe. I don't want to ever have to test the death defying devotion again."

She nodded in agreement. " I promise to never purposely put myself in that kind of danger again without a really good reason. Just like I had this time."

" So in other words, you're telling me that if the same thing happened again, you'd react the exact same way you did this time ?" He asked her incredulously.

" I am what I am." She told him solemnly, like she was apologizing for it.

" How about we just make a practice of staying out of situations like that in the future?" He compromised.

" That sounds like a sound plan to me." A new voice joined them and they were so wrapped up in each other they hadn't even noticed her father step into the room with them.

They both turned to look at him and Kat pulled herself off of Patrick slowly as she sat up beside him.

" Kat, take a walk. Go get us something to drink, some coffee maybe." He told her.

" I don't want any coffee, Dad. I'm fine." She answered, sitting back a little more and looking at him apprehensively.

" But I do. I've had a long day and I really need a coffee right now." He said, standing his ground.

" Can't a nurse get it for you ? Isn't that what you doctors do, order them around like your servants ?"

He laughed. " I'd never dream of demeaning one of my coworkers like that. The nurses are an important part of any hospital team and it would be rude of me to treat one of them like a glorified gopher." He explained, then lowered his voice. " Now off with you."

She slid slowly from the bed, taking her time with each movement. " Promise you'll be nice." She told her father before she passed him.

" Katarina," He sighed as if not being nice was the last thing on his mind. " I'm not going to attack the boy, uh, man, whatever he is, he's just been through surgery. Besides, he's safe enough, there's no life support, no plug to pull."

" Daddy!" She said warningly.

" I just want a few words alone with him. It'll be fine. I'll even stay right here where I'm standing. I can't even touch him from here." He promised her.

" It's fine." Patrick interjected. " It'll be fine."

She turned back to him as if trying to gauge how serious he was and he gave her an encouraging nod.

With a heavy sigh and one last warning look at her father, she left them alone.

Dr. Stratford laced his hands together in front of him, circling his belly in a deceptively causal pose. Then he cleared his throat. " I heard all that, you know."

Patrick blinked in surprised and shifted a touch restlessly. Then he swallowed hard. " I meant it all."

He told him honestly.

He unclasped his hands and he started to pace. Patrick watched him carefully wondering what was going on in the other man's head. When he finally spoke again, it wasn't with his usual confident tone. It was quiet and more than a little unsure, in fact. " My father told me, right after we had Bianca that someday this would happen. I, of course knowing far more than my father, told him that it was fine. That I'd be fine with it. And of course, he was right, like he always is. It's not fine. I'm not fine."

Patrick tensed at that.

" One of the hardest things a man every has to go through is realizing for the first time that he isn't the most important thing in his daughter's life anymore, something I'm sure you'll have to deal with at some point as well." Then he paused as if realizing what he had said and raised his eyebrows warningly. " But not for a long, long, long time." Then he continued. " It's torture to know that you've been replaced like that."

" Sir, Kat loves you. There's nothing she wouldn't do for you." Patrick told him, trying to reassure him that the situation wasn't as bad as he was making it out to be.

Walter just shook his head. " I know all that. But things change. They have to. It's the way life works. I can't be everything to her forever. I know that. I understand that now. I can't be the one that keeps her safe for the rest of her life. I can't be the one she depends on forever. It just doesn't work like that. That being said," He paused and came closer to him, resting himself on the foot of his bed and giving him a look that Patrick wasn't sure how to interpret. " The burden still rests with me to approve my replacement in her life. I refuse to give that option away. It's the only bit of control I have left."

Patrick lowered his head, finally understanding where all this was going. How could this man, this man that loved his daughters to the point of obsession sometimes, approve of him ? This entire thing was doomed from the beginning. They both knew that. Walter Stratford would never believe that Patrick Verona was good enough for his little girl.

Walter chuckled, bringing him out of his inner musings and making him look up at him. " Don't look so depressed, son. I'm not finished." He smiled at him. " I know I've never been a huge fan of this thing between you. And most of that is because I can see what's happening and I believe that it's too soon for it. Whatever this is, I don't think either of you is ready for it. You're too young to appreciate what you have together. And that's a pity. But after hearing what I just heard between you, I can't see anyway around giving you my approval. What man could possibly ask for more than a replacement that's willing to throw down his life to keep his little girl safe ?"

Patrick tried to keep the surprise from his face, but he couldn't help the smile. It was too much to contain. " I really did mean it." He told him. " I'd do anything I had to do to keep her safe."

Walter laughed and gestured to the hospital bed. " I think you've made that point, My boy." Then he sat back and took a deep breath. " There's more."

" Okay." Patrick answered a little apprehensively. It was like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop and it's shadow had just appeared over his head.

" I know things at home aren't good for you." Walter began.

" That's one way of putting it." He grimaced and shifted as his side began to ache.

" Yeah, I met your mother, too. So I know. Now, before I go any further with this, there will be rules. Don't think I'm giving you some kind of free ticket to move in with my seventeen year old daughter and do whatever you like." He prefaced quickly. " But, we have a basement, a fully finished basement. We're using it as storage right now, but I don't see why we couldn't change that. The garage is plenty big enough to hold everything."

Patrick shook his head. " Are you offering me a place to stay ?"

" That depends on whether you agree to the rules and are willing to put the work in to turn the basement into a bedroom." Walter said.

" What rules ?" Patrick asked, as if it mattered.

" I'll have a list typed up for us all to go over." Kat's father assured him.

Patrick smiled again. " I'm sure whatever they are, I can accept them. But I have to warn you, rules have never really been my thing."

" These will be." Walter beamed. " Since your following said rules depends on whether you still have a place to stay and permission to date my daughter."

" Then I'll do my best not to step a toe out of line." Patrick agreed. " Thank you."

" Don't thank me yet." Walter answered.

" You promised not to get close enough to touch him." Kat announced as she came back into the room with two cups of coffee in her hands.

" We were bonding." Walter said defensively.

" Bonding, huh ?" She asked, handing off one of the cups. " How did that go for you ?" She turned her attention to Patrick, " Are you okay ? Did he scare you ?"

" He offered me your basement, actually." Patrick told her.

" For what ?" She asked, looking at her father questioningly.

" I can't have him sleeping in the park and it's obvious he can't go back home." Walter shrugged.

" You offered him a place to stay ? You're letting him move in ?"

Walter got up and spread his hands. " I guess I didn't have a choice, apparently he has moved in without my knowledge. I mean his dog lives in my backyard already." He smiled, as he teased her.

Then he found himself struggling not to stumble as she launched herself at him and squealed.

" Thank you, Daddy. Thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me." She babbled as she hugged him tightly.

Walter looked over his shoulder at Patrick. " See, it is nice that I still get to be the hero every so often." He smirked and Patrick returned it with a laugh.

" Now," Her father told her, as he extracted her from around him. " You and Patrick have to do all the work on the basement, once he recovers, of course. In the meantime, he gets the COUCH." He turned to Patrick and leveled him with a serious expression. " Notice I said COUCH. Let me just reiterate that C-O-U-C-H. See how that in no way at all sounds like my daughter's bed. I just want to make sure we understand each other and I've made myself perfectly clear here." Then he turned to Kat. " And to you, young lady. I expect you will be staying in your bed, not the couch. There will be no funny business under my roof. At least not any I want to know about."

" We understand." Kat told him.

" Good." Walter smiled at them both as Kat went to Patrick side and eased herself down on the bed. "I'm just going to go. I have a few things to check on. Do you need a ride home later ?" He asked Kat.

" I have a ride." She answered.

" With who ?" Walter asked.

" Pete, he's the paramedic that brought Patrick in. He's been really nice. He told me to find him when I was ready to go and he'd give me a ride home. He even offered to let me play with the siren in the ambulance." She explained.

Walter rolled his eyes. " Well, how could my normal car compete with that ? You'll be home for dinner ?"

" Yes," She nodded. " I'll be home as soon as they kick me out here."

" School tomorrow." Walter announced. " You've already missed more than you should have."

" Yes, sir. School tomorrow." She nodded again.

" Okay. Then, I'll see you at home."

Then he left and they watched the door close behind him.


	25. Chapter 25

There are only a very few moments in a person's life that can really be called perfect. Perfect is hard to achieve. Perfect is picky. It means that a person can think of absolutely nothing that could improve that moment in time. Nothing needed to be added. Nothing was missing. Nothing was looming dreadfully on the horizon, towering over a person's head so heavily it made perfect impossible.

Kat thought that she would most likely remember this very moment as her first perfect one. A perfect point in time where she had everything she needed, wanted and loved right at her fingertips.

Patrick shifted under her and she raised her head to look up at his face. They were in the living room, curled up on the couch. He was on his back and she had draped herself over him.

It was raining. Not a hard, scary kind of rain, but a light, determined drizzle that just lingered on all day. Normally it depressed her, that kind of weather. But today as she snuggled down deeper into the warmth of his body, it just added to her comfort. The curtains were opened and both of them were silently staring out the window, lost in their own thoughts.

They had just recently quit working for the day. They were down to painting the walls and since it was raining, it would have to wait until it cleared. So they caught a break and were doing their best to enjoy it.

His hands were running lazily through her hair and she put her head back down to his chest right over his heart so she could listen to its steady, reassuring beat.

There was still a part of her, even four weeks after everything that had happened, that truly believe that he was still going to be snatched away from her at any second. She couldn't help it. Experience had taught her that nothing lasts forever and everything could change in an instant.

" What are you thinking about ?" He asked, his voice rumbling in his chest and causing it to vibrate under her.

She almost giggled at the sensation. " I'm thinking that I love you." She told him.

His arm tightened at her waist and he dropped a kiss to the top of her head. " I love you, too."

Having him there, living in her house, sleeping just one floor below her had only proven that more to her. She loved him. She loved having breakfast with him. She loved that he loved to cook. She loved arguing over what TV channel to watch. She loved watching him when he didn't know she was there because he was lost in some musty old book. She loved the sad, mortified look that came over his face every time one of those commercials for the humane society came on TV. She loved how they seemed to see the world the same way. But she also loved when he felt differently about something. ( A two hour debate about National health care had really driven that point home.) She loved sitting up with him late at night, talking about nothing and everything and just being together. She loved taking Spock for walks with him every night. And she loved arguing with him over silly stupid things that didn't matter, things like which laundry soap was the better bargain ( She lived by the ' you get what you pay for' rule. He was a ' the cheaper the better' kinda guy.), or what to make for lunch, or whether New Kids on the Block was the worst boy band ever ( he was an In Sync hating fanatic).

She loved getting to know him, really know him. She was learning all the important things now, the things that really mattered. Could he remember to put the toilet seat down ? ( He could) Did he leave his dirty clothes laying all over the floor ? ( He did ) Was he a better cook or dishwasher ?( definitely cook, in fact the whole house agreed on this point and he had more or less taken over all the nightly culinary duties)

And then there was the relationship that was slowly growing between him and her father. It was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. Patrick hadn't had a man in his life, a real man since he was nine. She was shocked when she came home from taking Bianca and her friend Dawn to the mall one day to find Patrick and her father in the backyard, just a few feet away from where he'd been shot, putting together a model plane. Really, if she didn't know better, she'd say her father liked him. He rarely called him the deep-voiced man-boy anymore except in jest and Patrick didn't seem to mind when he did. They watched basketball together, movies that she wouldn't have been able to stand. And in one of the most comical turn of events she'd ever witnessed herself, Patrick was teaching Walter to play Guitar Hero.

She thought maybe her father had warmed to Patrick just after he moved in. Walter had walked in on them more or less making out on the couch and had almost exploded. Patrick had remained calm and simply told him that he wasn't trying anything, he was just being affectionate and didn't Walter want his daughter to feel like she was loved and appreciated.

Her father hadn't been ready for it. And that was rare. It was odd to see him without a quick, witty comeback on his lips. He didn't know what to say and eventually he had just nodded and walked away muttering something about not being TOO affectionate.

Since that day, Walter had given them a little more freedom in the touching department. He didn't yell every time he walked in to find them kissing or holding each other. He didn't bark and threaten every time he caught them curled up on the couch together.

And Patrick was doing a great job sticking to the list of rules her father had set for them. When she really thought about it, they weren't unreasonable at all. Patrick wasn't allowed upstairs for instance. She could see that, understand it even. He didn't need to be upstairs since the only rooms up there were bedrooms he wasn't allowed in and a bathroom. They weren't allowed by themselves in a room with the door locked. Again, it was her father, not unreasonable at all considering. Patrick had to do his share around the house and since Walter was providing him a place to stay and food to eat, that wasn't too much to ask either. And Patrick was diligent about helping out. He cooked most nights. He helped clean up afterward, too. He took out the trash, helped her do the shopping.  
The whole situation had become downright domestic and it was blissfully so.

Unfortunately, the new rules and both their desires to follow them had put a damper on their sex life. Patrick was just now getting around better since his surgery. For the first few weeks, he rarely left the house. The injury to his pancreas had caused him to heal slower than normal and he hadn't been up to being out and about.

In fact, neither of them had ventured anywhere near this territory since he moved in. However, they were finding themselves in heated make out sessions more and more over the last few days and Kat knew that eventually one of them would make the move. It was only a matter of time. And she was beginning to think it would be her.

He shifted under her again, moving her over as he wiggled out from under her. Once he was on his feet, she looked up at him with a smile. " Where are you going ?"

He held up his hand in answer and shrugged. " Blood sugar."

And she nodded in understanding. He had been pretty diligent about that, too. He checked his sugar three times a day. He was watching what he ate and taking Spock for walks in the evening had become an exercise regiment for both of them, not just the dog.

The results were a little confusing and the doctors still weren't sure what to tell him. Some days his sugar was perfectly normal. He had experimented a little with that, testing out sweets on days like that and his body seemed to adjust just like it always did. Other days, he couldn't look at a piece of chocolate without needing an insulin shot.

The doctors had hypothesized that his pancreas was trying to do what it was supposed to do. That was a good sign. It meant that it had the ability to function normally. And the fact that his normal days were steadily increasing boded well for the situation, too. It meant there might be a time in the near future when he wouldn't have to worry about things like blood sugar testing and watching what he ate.

She caught him watching Bianca slurping down a bowl of ice cream one day and she knew this was not easy for him.

She got to her feet slowly, stretching her arms above her head and easing all the tension that she still possessed from her sore shoulders. They had worked hard before the rain started. In fact they were days away from being finished with their basement project.

She was tired, the kind of tired caused by hard physical labor. Glancing around at the gold clock sitting on the fireplace mantel, she saw it was barely after one. Everyone would be gone for hours still. Her father wouldn't be back from the hospital until after five. She knew this because at breakfast he had on his ' I'm delivering a baby today' smile. Delivering babies was the reason he did what he did and he loved it. It showed every time he had one of those planned deliveries. There was an excitement in him even after all these years. She hoped one day she could feel as excited by what she chose to do with her life even after doing it for twenty years. When she asked him about it, he told her he had a C-section scheduled for that afternoon.

Bianca was where Bianca always was since school ended, camping out at Joey Donner's place until right before time for her father to get home.

They were alone. It awed her that her father, the overbearing, over protective, Walter Stratford, was allowing this whole thing. She knew that he knew they had had sex before. Neither of them had come right out and talked about it, but she knew, he knew. And yet he trusted her and Patrick in the house alone for hours.

Something about the thoughts drifting through her mind made her feel a little guilty. He trusted her and here she was imagining all the ways she could break that trust. It felt wrong. But the tension that had been slowly building between her and Patrick was becoming more than she could take.

She straightened, pulling back in from her stretch with a happy, contented sigh and went to the window.

The rain was still coming. A continuous onslaught with an occasional thunder clap thrown in for good measure. It was a mellow easy kind of rain casting that mood on the world that it drenched.

It didn't startled her at all when a pair of hands slid around her waist. She laid her head back against his shoulder and sighed again. He drew her into him, embracing her against his chest.

" Everything good still ?" She asked a touch dreamily.

" No," He breathed right against her ear. " Everything is perfect." His voice was low and breathy, little more than a purr, or perhaps a growl. " Has it occurred to you how early it is ?"

She nodded rubbing her head against him. " As a matter of fact, I was just thinking about that."

He took her hand and brought it up behind her to drape around his neck. She buried her fingers in his hair.

" And exactly what thoughts were you having about the time of day ?" He asked in her ear again and his breath blowing over her earlobe caused her entire body to quiver.

" I was thinking that it will be hours before anyone gets home." She answered as she buried her fingers deeper into his curls.

He left her ear and began to trail his lips down her throat. " Does that mean you want to play scrabble ?" He chuckled against the column of her throat.

" Hhhm, I do, actually. I haven't played a good game of scrabble in ages." She groaned as his hand left her waist and cupped her breast.

" It has been a while." He agreed. " Are you sure we should try playing ? If your dad catches us, all the perfect will be over."

" Dad is at the hospital. He has a scheduled delivery this afternoon." She told him.

He stepped away from her. " So you're sure he won't be home ?" He asked.

She nodded, " Positive."

He came back to the window, this time stepping up beside her instead on behind her. His hand fell over hers on the window sill and he gave it a squeeze.

" Are you okay ?" She asked, glancing at him. His mood was odd. He was being very quiet and contemplative and she wasn't sure why.

" I'm fine." He told her with a small smile that didn't reach his eyes.

" Lie to me again, you know how much I love it." She rolled her eyes at him.

He laughed and the smile did reach them this time. " It really is nothing." He assured her. " What could be wrong ?"

" I don't know, that's why I'm asking."

He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. " Maybe it's the weather. I hate this. It just lingers on and on. It's depressing."

She turned towards him and he followed suit. Her finger came up to trace down the middle of his chest. " I kinda like it. It's soothing."

He glanced out the window again, then back to her, then back to the window. And in the next second she was in his arms. He held her tightly against him, one band splayed across the small of her back, the other over her shoulder blades. His lips were on hers, and it was nothing like she'd been expecting with the suddenness of his movement. She was expecting hot, heated, passionate. What she got was slow, lingering and tender.

He pulled away from her slowly, reluctantly and she gave a little cry in protest, but he didn't go far. He only moved away enough to stoop down and grab her into his arms.

" Patrick !" She squealed in unexpected delight. " Put me down !"

" Why ?" He asked, nuzzling her neck before nipping at it lightly.

" You just had surgery and I can walk." She answered with a roll of her eyes.

He hefted her tighter into his chest, adjusting her to give himself a better grip. " I'm all healed. Doctor said so and I know you can walk. You have two beautiful legs to prove it, but this," He paused to kiss her, " is more fun."

He walked her over to the couch and paused before setting her down. " Maybe we should go upstairs."

She nodded. " Would probably be safer." She agreed. " Now put me down."

" I can carry you up the stairs." He answered.

She kissed him lightly and smiled. " Of course you can, my big, muscled man, but I would rather race you."

He let her go. Dropping her to her feet and pulling away from her. " Alright, fine. I'll race you."

She took off before he finished the sentence, tearing up the stairs two at a time with him hot on her heels.

Once they were safely settled behind her locked bedroom door, he grabbed her again, pulling her into his arms and kissing her the way she had been expecting before, heatedly, passionately. His hands were at her back again and she had finally gotten used to how comfortable and safe that made her feel, she reveled in it, in fact.

" I think I won." She announced between kisses.

" I think you did." He agreed. " I guess you think that makes you special."

He was pulling her now, urging her backwards until she felt the bed behind her knees. She sat down on the edge and looked up at him. He started to climb over her, then stopped. Grabbing the hem of his shirt, he yanked it quickly over his head and let it drop to the floor. Then he turned away from her and went to the window.

She watched him closely as he opened it wide and let the sound of the rumbling thunder fill the room. They hadn't bothered with any lights and she hadn't left any on, so the only illumination came from the opened window. The storm was picking up in intensity and an occasion bolt of lightning filled the space with its glaring blueness. Thunder rumbled, growing louder and louder as the storm drew nearer.

He was coming back to her now, a dangerous, lusty look in his eyes and a swagger to his hips that made her mouth go dry. Her eyes scanned over him, taking in all the things she loved about his body. Then she paused as he stepped up to her and she spied the tiny, almost imperceptible pucker of pink flesh on side. She reached out a trembling finger and ran the tip over it gingerly. He was completely still, letting her do whatever she wanted to him.

It was the first time she'd really seen the mark left behind by the bullet that was meant for her and it did something to her. She wasn't sure how to explain what she was feeling. Gratitude, awe, love, they all seemed to be there, but there was more and she couldn't define what it was, couldn't put a label to the emotion.

" Does it hurt still ?" She asked, still touching him gently.

" Nah," He shook his head. " Other than the fact that it messes up the whole perfect physique thing I had going on, I almost forget it's there."

She looked up at him and laughed. " God, you really do like yourself a lot, don't you ?"

" That's how I knew you were obsessed with me." He answered. " I recognized the signs. See, I've been obsessed with me for a really long time."

She laughed again and dragged him down to her with her arms around his neck. " I'll always know it's there. I won't ever forget it." She said with no trace of humor left on her face.

His eyes darkened and she watched in awe as his pupils dilated. " I really wish you'd stop blaming yourself for it. It wasn't your fault. None of it was your fault."

She let her eyes fall from his and nodded. " I know. You keep telling me that. But it feels like my fault."

" That's because your a martyr, Gandhi." He explained simply.

She opened her mouth to protest but he seized it with his before any sound came out. His hand came up her sides, lifting her shirt along the way. She raised her arms and picked her shoulders up to let him glide it over her head. Once it was gone, he dipped his head to her chest and began laying a trail of kisses over her skin. His movements matched the rhythm of the gentle rain outside the window, easy, light, lingering. He wasn't hurried, he wasn't impatient.

One of his hands found hers and their fingers entwined together on the pillow beside her head. There was something very intimate in that gesture, something that said what was happening between them was far more than sex. She already knew that, but his hand surrounding hers reaffirmed it for her.

She let her free hand move down the length of his chest, brushing softly over his skin in the process, until she came to the waistband of his jeans. The rough denim was annoying her. She wanted it gone. She wanted to feel his bare skin against hers.

His other hand was moving up her back now, lifting her into him so he could get to the clasp of her bra. He deftly opened it and she gave him a smile in appreciation of his skill. It wasn't always easy to unhook a bra with both hands, doing it with just one was noteworthy.

Thunder rumbled and rolled outside like the earth itself was letting out a long, satisfied moan when he kissed her again. She could feel the goosebumps raising over her skin while he drew the bra from her shoulders and gave it a toss. Then he dropped his head to her breast, taking the right one in his mouth and swirling his tongue over the harden pebble of her nipple while his hand kneaded the left one.

Their hands were still joined and it was making it difficult for her to deal with the closures of his jeans. She gave a frustrated sigh and he raised his head from her breast and chuckled. " Here, let me." He offered.

He took his hand from hers and raised up, coming back to his feet. She sat up as well, mesmerized by the movements of his hands while he worked at the button and zipper of his jeans. Once he had them undone, he slide the material from his trim waist and kicked them off. Then he went to work on hers, though truthfully she didn't notice. She was too taken in by his nakedness. She had seen it before of course, but every time it struck just like it did the first time. He was just so beautiful it was spellbinding.

By the time she realized what was happening, he had her undressed and was moving her back up the bed with a hand under each of her arms. When he got her where he wanted, one of his hands slid down her arm and found her hand again. Apparently he liked the feeling it offered as well.

Then he was kissing her again, slow, deep, penetrating kisses that left her breathless and moaning for more. His hips rolled over hers deliberately, grinding into that perfect spot with each movement and she shuddered under him.

The rain was picking up now, its rhythm and intensity increasing to a roar. She marveled at how their actions mirrored the storm. Their movements increasing in rhythm and intensity as well.

She could feel his hardness rubbing against her now, begging her for entrance and she almost lost herself enough to allow it.

He was the one that stopped, that pulled back and reached to the drawer of her nightstand. She had forgotten all about it, forgotten their need to be careful, forgotten how important it was not to get too carried away.

It was his fault. She always seemed to get carried away when it came to him.

Once he had the condom in place, he was kissing her again, not leaving her lips as he settled himself between her thighs. It was blissful, the weight of his body over hers, the feel of the muscles in his back shifting under her legs which her wrapped securely around his middle.

She raised her hips, reveling in the feel of his hardness brushing over her most sensitive areas. He was still kissing her when he sheathed himself inside her, moving in slowly and not stopping until he hit bottom. He shifted, moving his hips enough to grant him just a few more centimeters into her and he sighed contently against her lips.

The thunder rolled again, louder and more insistent this time, just as he began to move. He let the weather set their tempo, using the pounding of the rain on the window sill as a guide.

He nibbled at her bottom lip as his free hand found hers and then he was holding both of them while his lower body ground into hers in a lazy, leisurely pace that was driving her crazy.

" Patrick," She managed to gasp out around his lips.

" mm," was all the answer she got, but he seemed to understand as his speed began to increase if only just slightly.

A flash of lightning lite up the room and she felt her body jerk in surprise from it. He gasped at the suddenness of the movement and picked up his pace even more. " Kat," He ground out in a growl that set her whole body on fire.

" Yes," She whispered into his shoulder as he arched his back and thrust into her again and again.

Her orgasm surprised her. It came on unexpectedly, out of nowhere. One minute she was riding along with him, meeting him move for move, thrust for thrust, the next she was spiraling out of control, her head spinning so hard she couldn't think of anything but him and what he was making her feel.

She was vaguely aware of him tensing above her and calling out her name. The sound only intensified the feelings she was experiencing.

Moments later, they were still trying to collect themselves. He rolled to her side, bringing her body along for the ride and nestling it securely into the crock of his arm, molding her to him as he placed a gentle kiss to her temple.

" I love you." He panted out as he tried to take another deep breath.

" I love you, too." She answered, burying her head further into his shoulder.

His eyes shot to the window and he gave it a little smile. " I guess you were right. The rains not so bad after all."


	26. Author's note

Author's note : I just wanted to take a moment to tell everyone that I haven't stopped writing any of the stories that I'm currently working on. I'm not sure when I'll get the updates out, but they will be there. I'm dealing with a family emergency, an unexpected death is taking up all my time. But I will be updating again soon. Please be patient with me.


	27. Chapter 27

God, he was tired. He didn't think he'd ever been so tired. He needed to find the time tomorrow to sit down and go over the stack of applications on his desk. If he didn't hire another mechanic soon he wouldn't survive.

He trudged up the drive after haphazardly parking his bike and tugging off his helmet. His feet felt unbelievably heavy, weighted down, like every step took more energy than he had left in his reserves.

When he got to the door, he took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. This is how it had been for nearly three weeks now. He didn't want them to know. He didn't want them to see how worn out he really was.  
He painted a smile on his face and turned the knob.

He was barely inside when a fifty pound ball of energy lunged at him. He almost lost his balance as he struggled with the sudden weight that had landed plastered to his chest.

" Did you miss me, Buddy ?" Patrick asked as he glanced down at the little boy's face.

The boy shook his head ruefully and rolled his eyes in a perfect imitation of his mother. Patrick nearly laughed out loud at the sight. " Katie's been crying all day." He said in quiet whisper with all the maturity of someone twenty years his senior. " It's making Mom crazy. She's been short and snappy and sometimes..." He lowered his face a little more. " just plain mean. When does school start again ?"

" Is she making you clean your room ?" Patrick asked his son as he began walking towards the kitchen where he could hear a commotion.

Evan shook his tiny little head. " Before dinner, Daddy." He threw up his little hands in frustration and outrage. " She wants it done before dinner."

He bent down and put the boy on his feet. " Then you better hurry. You don't want her to get even madder." He told him as he patted him on the head.

The six year old stomped his foot once in frustration. " I thought you were on my side."

" When Mommy's having a bad day, I'm on whatever side makes her happy." Patrick answered with a wink and grin.

The boy huffed again before turning on his heel and heading towards the back part of the house.

Patrick pushed the door opened and glanced inside before actually stepping in. He wasn't sure what was waiting for him on the other side, but it didn't sound nice or pretty. The baby was crying again.

Patrick thought that all baby's were the same. A baby is a baby. But he knew differently now.

Evan had been a wonderful baby. He was quiet and laid back yet he was the most precocious child Patrick had ever met. He figured that must have come from his mother. But the laid back was all him. A perfect mixture of his parents, all the best of both of them.

Then Katie came along and Patrick finally understood that not all babies were like Evan. Katie was demanding and impatient and short tempered. She craved attention constantly and her parents were having a horrible time trying to explain to her that the world did not revolve around Katie. But she was beautiful and smart, maybe even smarter than Evan. She was definitely developing faster than Evan and that was really saying something in itself. Patrick could already see her mother in her, a determination in her eyes when she wanted something bad enough, a terrible look of guilt when she finally realized her parents weren't happy with her.

He opened the door a little further, cracking it just enough to find her. He still loved watching her when she had no idea he was there. She was in front of the stove stirring something in a steaming pot while cradling the phone to her ear with her free hand.

" What do I do after I heat it up ? How do I get her to drink it ?"

The person on the other end of the phone said something and Kat turned to look at her still crying daughter and sighed. " I thought you knew her better than that."

She paused for a moment. " Dr. Brinkley, you don't understand. She will refuse to drink it just because she knows I want her to." Another pause then Kat laughed. " I know she's only a year old, can you imagine what I'm going to deal with when she's a teenager ?"

Katie stopped crying for a moment and her eyes found his. Kat's back was to both of them as she continued to stir and talk on the phone.

Patrick sneaked into the room and over to his daughter. Lifting her swiftly, he bounced her for a moment making her forget all about whatever it was that she was mad about.

Great thing about babies, he decided a long time ago, short attention spans.

Patrick settled her into his chest before stalking towards the stove. When he reached it, he glanced over Kat's shoulder and took a deep breath. Peppermint tea. She was making peppermint tea.

" Whatcha cookin' ?" He asked in his low throat voice sending Kat into the air as she jumped in surprise and dropped the phone.

" What the hell are you doing ?" She demanded. " You are such an ass." She was clutching her chest as she tried to catch her breath.

He smirked at her smugly. " That was a retaliatory salvo in honor of my fallen brethren whom beseeched me only moments ago to seek out your pardon or at the very least a reduced sentence as he feels that your judgment was too harsh since he proclaims to be an innocent bystander in what appears to be a bad day."

" What ?" Kat asked confused by his speech.

He leaned in to kiss her cheek. " Evan doesn't want to clean his room."

" Tough." She answered with her hands on her hips now. " I'm trying to do laundry and I can't even find his clothes in that pit. So request denied."

" It is a big mess in there. Don't you think that maybe getting it done before dinner is a little too much to ask." Patrick asked gently, not wanting to upset her.

She rolled her eyes. " Did he mention that the task was given to him at noon ?"

" No, he left that part out. What's with the tea ?"

" Dr. Brinkley thinks that Katie's crying constantly because her throat is irritated because of all the crying she's been doing."

He chuckled and readjusted the little girl in his arm. " It's a vicious cycle."

Kat came to him and took the baby out of his arms. Then she put her back in her high chair before walking back to her husband and lacing her arms around his shoulders and burying her head in his chest. She seemed to melt into him and he wrapped his arms around her to hold her tightly.

" It's okay." He whispered into her hair. " It's almost bedtime."

She gave a choked, watery laugh but refused to lift her eyes to his. He held her tighter and noticed how tense her shoulders were.

Her lips brushed his fleetingly and he could feel her smile against his own. " Did you have a good day at work, Sweetheart ?" She asked while batting her lashes at him.

" I had a typical day at work." He answered, not wanting to discuss it. " I'm sorry you had such a bad one though."

" Ek," She shrugged. " It's good now that you're home."

He kissed her again as he tightened his hold on her.

" Did you work from here all day ?"

" Yeah, but I didn't get much done. Dad's taking Katie tomorrow so I can work on the Dulcant trial. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, so I have to get started on it or I won't be ready."

" The Dulcant trial," He shook his head. " My wife taking on the big guys."

It was her first major trial and she was sitting second chair for the trail beside her boss and mentor, James Henderson, a man she looked up to almost as much as she did her own father.

Katie took that moment to decide she wasn't getting attention from anyone and let out a raspy wail in protest. Kat sighed heavily.

" I understand that she doesn't feel good." Kat told him as she pulled out of his arms and went back to preparing the tea. " But she's been like this all day. No nap, no downtime. She's exhausted which is just making her more cranky and she keeps crying despite the fact that her throat hurts. She's making herself feel worse."

" Look who's here !" Evan announced as he burst through the door excitedly.

Patrick and Kat both turned smiled as Walter entered the room carrying a several bags of take out food.

" Are you abusing my granddaughter in here ?" He asked, dropping the bags on the table and going straight for the little girl who raised her arms out to him immediately. " I can hear her all the way out in the hall. You're both horrible, mean people."

Darlene Thorpe Stratford entered the room a moment later and Evan went to her.

Kat had had a hard time adjusting to her father's marriage. Her stepmother had taken some getting used to. Bianca still wasn't happy about the arrangement.

" Can we come stay with you tomorrow ?" Evan asked hopefully as Darlene bent to wrap him in a hug.

" We had a better idea, actually." She told him. " We were thinking that if it's okay with your parents, maybe you could come stay with us tonight and tomorrow."

Patrick and Kat both looked at her in surprise.

Walter cleared his throat from beside her as he bounced the little girl in his arms. " We thought you two might like a night off. So, " He shrugged. " The take out is for you. I insist you light some candles , put on some music and have a little time out – grown up style."

Evan tugged at his father's hand. " What is grown up time out ? Are you in trouble ?"

Darlene came forward and took his hand in hers. " Yes, they are and because they were bad, they have to go to bed early and they can't have any dessert." She smiled.

Evan let go of her hand and came back to Patrick, pulling him down close so he could whisper and still be heard. " I'm sorry, Daddy. I would have had your back if you had told me."

Patrick ruffled the little boy's black curls and chuckled. " It's okay, Little Man. I think your Mommy and I can handle it."

He shook his little head in dismay. " I don't know, you have to go to bed early AND you can't have dessert, you must have really been bad."

It took less than half an hour to get the two children packed up and out the door. Time in which Patrick had occupied himself with setting the dining room table, lighting candles at Walter's insisted and with his help and taking a quick shower.

He loved his work. It was exactly what he had always wanted to do. He owned his own shop, spent all day tinker with motorcycles and he was the best in town, so business was good. The unfortunate downside to that was that he always came home dirty and smelling of gasoline and oil. Kat never complained. He was surprised by that. He had figured her for the type that would bulk at having a husband who spent his days getting his hands dirty. He should have known better. Especially since right after graduating from high school they had spent a year in the Peace Corps, at her urging, living in mud huts in South America.

" Dad just told me to call them when we were ready to take them back." Kat laughed as she entered the room. " I'm sure he was joking though." Then she shrugged. " If not an entire night and day with Katie will cure him of it."

He laughed. " She's not that bad." He protested weakly.

" She's not bad at all. She's my daughter and I love her just as much as I love Evan. But sometimes..."

He came to her and wrapped his arms around her still slender waist. " I love you." He tried to change the subject.

" I love you, too." She answered letting her lips brush across his.

" I think your stepmother said something about going to bed early." He whispered in her ear suggestively.

Kat laughed and pulled back from him so she could see his face. " She also said you couldn't have any desert."

" What if I earn it back ?" He asked hopefully.

" And how do you plan on doing that ?"

" I'm thinking strip pillow fight and the winner gets a naked Kat sundae." He announced.

" Ew," She answered. " What if I win ?"

He shrugged as if to blow her off. " Not going to happen."

" I've won a few rounds." She argued.

" Alright, on the off chance that you might manage to win, you can have whatever you want."

She was suddenly pulling out of his arms and he couldn't figure out why, but he was doing his best to fight against it. When she'd finally wiggled free, she took off towards the doorway to the living room.

He chanced along behind her, dinner forgotten on the table as they went about enjoying their rare night off.

Author's note : That's going to wrap this one up, folks. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm very sorry it took me so long to put a cap on it. It was a hard chapter to write. I knew it was over, I just wasn't sure how I really wanted it to end. Then life got in the way. So anyway, here it is finally. Again, sorry it took so long. Hope you enjoy it.


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